Monday Morning News and Notes
More countries suspend AstraZeneca use
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Ireland’s National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has, as of Sunday morning, suspended AstraZeneca vaccinations. It cites the report of three more cases of post vaccination blood clotting in Norway over the weekend in making the decision.
The NIAC has issued a health alert identical to the one Norway released on Saturday, asking people under the age of 50 who have had an AstraZeneca vaccination in the last 14 days to be vigilant. Should they become ill and/or notice skin hemorrhages in the form of blue spots, they should get to a doctor or an emergency room immediately.
It says while no definitive link to the AstraZeneca vaccine has been found, it has taken the precautionary step of deferring AstraZeneca use “pending receipt of further information.”
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The Netherlands, too, has joined a growing list of countries that have suspended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precaution over post vaccination blood clotting concerns.
Health authorities made the decision due to reports of severe and sometimes fatal post vaccination blood clotting from both Denmark and Norway. They add there have not been any similar reports in Holland.
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Meanwhile, AstraZeneca announced over the weekend it is is cutting its vaccine dose shipments to the European Union by 73% citing “production problems.”
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The Danish Medicines Agency is revealing more information about the death in Denmark, which sparked the country to suspend all use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
According to Lægemiddelstyrelsen Unit Manager Tanja Erichsen, the woman who died after receiving AstraZeneca vaccinations had an “unusual clinical picture” with a low number of platelets, and blood clots in her small and large blood vessels. These are identical symptoms identified among three people who were hospitalized in Norway on Saturday.
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Denmark’s Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says a third infection case of the Brazilian P1 variant in the country is directly linked to the other two. He says all three infections are travel related. Heunicke says all three remain quarantined.
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Over the weekend Denmark added 1,154 new infections (613 on Saturday and 541 on Sunday) and suffered another four coronavirus deaths.
To date 548,718 first dose vaccinations (10% of the population) have been administered in Denmark, while 249,323 people (4.3%) are now fully vaccinated.
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The Staten Serum Institut and the University of Copenhagen has conducted a joint study on COVID spread among family members.
The study focused on households of between two to six family members. From August 25th, 2020 to February 10th of this year, it tracked 66,602 people who were the first in their household to become infected.
They found 48% (103,389 family members) tested positive for COVID within one to 14 days after the first infection in the home.
The study also found that the older the infected person was the more contagious they were. Researchers don’t yet know why this is.
The study also found that there was a positive relationship between the number of virus particles (ct value) the person initially infected had, the rate at which COVID spread, and how many people in the home were infected.
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Over the weekend, Denmark sent three doctors and five nurses along with a liaison officer and staff doctor from the Danish Emergency Management Agency to Slovakia. They will do what they can to try and alleviate some of the pressure as Slovakia battles another COVID wave.
Denmark’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jeppe Kofod says the situation in Slovakia is critical.
"They are trapped in a massive third Corona wave, which shows how quickly infections can run out of control when new mutations arrive. The shortage of doctors and nurses is acute and the hospitals are fighting a fierce battle. Help and solidarity are needed. That is why I am glad that Denmark can step in.”
The team will be deployed for two weeks and then be a relieved by a second squad.
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In Metro Copenhagen, the health authority (Region Hovedstaden) spent the weekend vaccinating about 900 people with serious illnesses and disabilities. The health authority, working with family doctors, went to 33 social housing facilities to vaccinate at-risk residents.
Regional Council Chairman Sophie Hæstorp Andersen
“These are people who are affected by serious diseases, and if they become infected with COVID, they can be particularly hard hit. That is why it is crucial that they are vaccinated.”
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The Danish government is moving to the procurement stage as it looks to have a digital vaccine passport ready to go by May. It has also appointed a six member advisory council with representatives from business and culture along with voices representing ethics and cyber security to help address a number of challenges.
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The E.U. Commission will table its proposal for a European digital vaccination passport this week. This will be our first look at the details of the passport that is being sold as a way to facilitate freer movement within the E.U. as more people are vaccinated. The digital passport will be able to show your last negative COVID test, if you have had COVID, and/or if you are vaccinated.
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Most of Italy is beginning the day in a new COVID lockdown. Non-essential shops must close, bars and restaurants will only be able to provide takeaway, and students are back on distance learning in all ‘red’ zone areas.
Yesterday Italy added 21,315 new infections and another 264 coronavirus deaths.
Last week across Italy hospitalizations increased by almost 5,000 and 600 more people were put in an ICU.
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The COVID situation in the Czech Republic remains dire with 6,936 new infections and another 129 virus deaths yesterday.
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Hungary continues to see some of the highest daily infection numbers of the entire pandemic with 8,863 new infections and 162 more deaths yesterday.
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Bad day in Ontario yesterday according to Health Minister Christine Elliott on Twitter “Ontario is reporting 1,747 cases of#COVID19 and over 47,600 tests completed. Locally, there are 545 new cases in Toronto, 352 in Peel and 163 in York Region. As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 1,158,355 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.”
Elliott has also placed Northwester Ontario and the Lambton region into red and grey zone lockdowns respectively.
In Alberta Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw confirmed over the weekend the province has its first case of the Brazilian P1 COVID variant.