The UN is looking for ways to get hundreds of thousands of seafarers home by Christmas, Britain is ready to start vaccinating the elderly with Pfizer’s vaccine, and France is at odds with its neighbors over the ski season and the pros and cons of vaccination certificates. All the latest news on the pandemic situation around the world in our daily round-up.
According to Johns Hopkins University, nearly 64 million people worldwide have been infected with Covid-19 and nearly 1.5 million have died. The United Nations voted unanimously in favor of a resolution calling on all countries to designate seafarers as essential workers so that hundreds of thousands can return home for Christmas. Due to global travel restrictions, hundreds of merchant and cruise ship crews have been unable to return to their ports for more than six months.
The Japanese parliament has passed a bill to vaccinate its citizens free of charge, but it is mandatory for Japanese people to be vaccinated, except in extreme cases of contraindications. This could make Japan the first country in the world with mandatory mass vaccination against Covid-19. According to Johns Hopkins University, 153.3 thousand people have been infected in Japan, with 2,137 deaths. Compared to many other countries, these are relatively favorable indicators, but the pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the country’s economy.
The normally crowded streets of Japanese cities were almost empty. A record daily death toll of 190 people has been recorded in Turkey over the past 24 hours. A nationwide curfew is in effect from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA intend to reduce the quarantine period for those who have had contact with Covid-19 patients from 14 days to 7-10 days. The reasons for this relaxation have not yet been disclosed. At the same time, the infection and mortality rates in the country continue to rise rapidly. The USA still leads the world in both indicators – 13.7 million cases and 270.6 thousand deaths, respectively.
Poland has become the 13th country in the world to surpass the 1 million COVID-19 case threshold. France wants to ban its citizens from traveling to neighboring ski resorts in Spain and Switzerland, where authorities plan to open the season as usual. The French authorities have long announced that their resorts will not open until at least the end of January, but more likely the entire season. On some sections of the border between France and Switzerland (where there are no official checkpoints), as well as in French airports, selective coronavirus checks have already been introduced for persons returning from the neighboring country.
Ski resorts in Switzerland are already open. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are calling on the leaders of the Alpine countries, as well as other European countries with developed ski industries, to adhere to a unified policy for the sake of public health safety this winter. In Germany, 487 deaths from coronavirus have been reported in the last 24 hours, while the overall trend of infection has begun to decline. On Wednesday, authorities lowered the so-called R-index, which indicates the degree of infection transmission, to 0.89 – meaning that for every 100 people infected with Covid-19, another 89 people are infected.
In Italy, ski resorts will not open until mid-January. Movement between regions of the country will be severely restricted during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Throughout December, there will be a 9:00 p.m. curfew in most of the country. However, restaurants will be open for indoor dining.
Teachers in Austria are required to be tested for coronavirus before returning to work. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. Episodes End of story: Podcast Advertising On Wednesday, the Austrian government is discussing a plan to get the country out of the second nationwide lockdown scheduled for next week. At the moment it is known that shops and schools will be reopened first. Teachers will only be allowed to work if they have a negative coronavirus test. High school students will be able to return to school, but masks will be mandatory. Hotels, bars and entertainment venues are likely to remain closed. Ski resorts will reopen for the Christmas season, but only for Austrians and without overnight accommodations.
Latvia has extended its state of emergency until January 11. Starting Thursday, a rule called “2+2” will be introduced, which means that gatherings in public places should not involve more than two people and should keep a distance of 2 meters. Shopping centers will be closed on weekends, and masks will be mandatory in all public places, including schools. The Prime Minister of Latvia has described the situation in the country as extremely serious.
The number of coronavirus patients in intensive care units in Belgium has fallen below 900 for the first time since late October, with 198 patients admitted to hospitals on Tuesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States plans to reduce the quarantine period for those who have been in contact with a Covid-19 patient from 14 days to 7-10 days. The reasons for this relaxation are not yet known.
The first day without a lockdown in Britain. In Britain, the second lockdown officially ended on December 2, and tens of thousands of people rushed to clothing stores and other non-essential goods that had been closed for a month. The country continues to operate a three-tier threat system: medium, high, and highest. Restrictions of varying severity remain in place throughout the country. Relaxations to meet with family and friends will be made only during the Christmas holidays, December 23-27. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for widespread use. The first phase of population vaccination will begin next week, with the elderly and those in closed institutions being the first to receive the vaccine. The vaccine, developed jointly by U.S. and German pharmaceutical companies, is a new type of mRNA vaccine containing a fragment of the genetic code of the virus that caused the global pandemic. Clinical trials have shown it to be 95% effective and well tolerated by people of all ages and ethnicities. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has rejected accusations that the British authorities have rushed the process. The vaccine has gone through all stages of development – from idea to production – in just 10 months, and many critics say that is not enough time to have confidence in the new drug. But Hancock, other members of the government and representatives of the MHRA, which approved the mass use of the vaccine, say the health of the British people is their top priority, and the drug was approved after thorough testing showed it was safe.
Have you been vaccinated? Prove it!
Meanwhile, debates are raging in Britain over whether Britons should be required to show proof of vaccination in the form of an “immunity passport”. The recently appointed UK Minister for Vaccines, Nadhim Zahawi, has stated that the government is interested in introducing a method of determining the risks to each individual of visiting pubs, theatres, stadiums and other public places. This information could be useful, and having the appropriate document would be the most convenient option.
Nadhim Zahawi has recently been appointed to a position that did not previously exist in the British government. He will oversee the national vaccination program. However, Zahavi disagrees with another politician, former British Justice Minister and former Lord Chancellor Michael Gove. Gove currently holds the position of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. On Wednesday, he stated that the authorities do not intend to introduce anything similar. At the same time, Gove added that individual establishments could make proof of vaccination compulsory for visitors, but this measure would not receive legislative support. Several British epidemiologists have already come out in support of Zahavi’s position. As an example, they cite the mandatory requirement of a yellow fever vaccination certificate for anyone arriving from countries where the disease is present. At the same time, some human rights organizations are concerned about the confidentiality of personal data when an “immunity pass” is issued. What information will be included in it? Won’t this be tantamount to revealing medical secrets? And won’t this practice be the beginning of the creation of a national identity certification system?