The Evening Report - Aug 3
Denmark’s epidemic situation remains stable but signs of concern persist
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Denmark’s Health Ministry says the COVID contact number (reinfection rate or R0) has, for a second straight week, remained at 1.0. It says this “indicates a stable epidemic situation” especially with hospitalization rates remaining low.
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The Danish Agency for Patient Safety says travel-related COVID infections remain a concern. Overall, its contact tracers say 22.2% of those infected say they were infected while traveling. Over the last seven days, it is 24.1%. Spain, followed by Turkey, lead all countries for people traveling from Denmark who are coming back with the coronavirus.
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Fully vaccinated people in Denmark can now technically take a short trip to the UK as it eases border restrictions for the EU (except France) and the USA. However, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs still advises against travel to England as it remains a high-risk ‘red’ zone.
Acting Ministry Head Frej Jackson spoke to Ritzau:
“The fact that England opens up to fully vaccinated tourists unfortunately has no effect on our travel guide. So it does not mean that Danish tourists can travel to England tomorrow.”
Anyone traveling back from England requires a negative PCR test to get on their flight, just be tested again on arrival, and must quarantine once back in Denmark.
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The Staten Serum Institut has found that mixing AstraZeneca as a first dose and an mRNA vaccine as a second results in very high levels of efficacy. However, the study has some limitations.
In a recently published study, the SSI found that combining AstraZeneca and either a dose of Pfizer or Moderna reduced the risk of COVID infection by 88% compared to those who are unvaccinated. This is pretty comparable to two doses of Pfizer, which, according to an earlier study, has an efficacy of 90%. The study involved 136,551 people who had a first dose of AstraZeneca and then a second dose of an mRNA vaccine.
However, the study authors note “no COVID related hospitalizations or deaths occurred after vaccination with a combined vaccination program. It was therefore not possible to estimate the effectiveness of these outcomes.” Also, the study took place from February to June, before the Delta variant became dominant and so it is “not possible to say anything about the protection against the Delta variant of the combined vaccination program on the basis of these results.”
Acting Technical Director Tyra Grove Krause:
“It is important that we continuously uncover the effect of the vaccines in the real world, especially when we give the vaccines in combinations that have not previously been done. In addition, we must continuously monitor the effect of our vaccination programs on the new SARS-CoV-2 virus variants and find out how long the protective effect is maintained.”
By extension, the study has also found no professional health justification for a third booster shot for people who have been vaccinated with two different vaccines. The idea had been floated to address travel issues for countries who only deem someone to be fully vaccinated when they have had two doses of the same vaccine.
Speaking to DR Krause addressed the issue:
“Therefore, there may well be logistical considerations for these people whose cross-vaccination is not approved in other countries. In any case, it is not harmful to get an extra vaccine.”
So far, a third booster dose has not been determined to be necessary, nor has it been approved as part of the vaccination effort by either Denmark’s State Serum Institut or the European Medicines Agency.
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Denmark has added 1,595 COVID infections and one more coronavirus death in the last 48 hours. On Monday, it reported 785 infections and another 810 today.
Yesterday, there were 51,853 PCR tests done for a positivity percentage of 1.56%, which remains very high.
The number of Danish kommunes with COVID incidence rates above 100 per 100,000 residents has jumped to 32 and of those, the number with incidence rates above 200 have increased to four.
COVID hospitalizations (62) have increased (+8) while the number of infected people in an ICU (8) and of those who are on a ventilator (8) are both unchanged.
On the vaccination front to date, 72.3% of people in Denmark have had a first vaccination dose while 55.6% are now fully vaccinated.
Yesterday, there were 55,946 total inoculations done as numbers continue to ease either do to slipping demand or a decline of vaccine supply.
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The vaccination impact continues to be reflected in the number of new infections by age group over the last seven days. Infections are either dropping like a rock or all but vanished altogether for people aged 40 and older. Conversely, those aged 20 to 29 years old are seeing the most infection activity by far of any age group.
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Region Nordjylland says an expanded COVID testing effort in Skagen has now been extended until at least Saturday. PCR tests, either with or without an appointment, are available at Skagen City Hall from 9am until 5pm every day until then. The parish has been battling rising infection numbers, almost certainly linked to the summer travel season.
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Region Midtjylland has updated its vaccination picture. So far, 952,400 people (71.3%) have had a first vaccine dose and 683,000 (51.1%) have had both doses. The health region says it also has lots of open times for people to book a vaccination appointment.
The mid-Jutland region says it has about 96,000 doses from Pfizer/BioNTech this week and another 38,000 doses from Moderna. The Region says it is expecting Moderna deliveries to be ramped up in the weeks ahead. It says there are 38,000 available openings to be vaccinated this week and another 70,000 people can openings are available to book for next week. So far, 884 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years old in the region have been invited to begin the vaccination process.
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Region Syddanmark has also updated its vaccination effort. It has 109,880 doses this week with close to an even split between Pfizer and Moderna. That is an increase from last week’s 75,380 available doses. As everywhere else in Denmark every eligible age group from 12 years old and up are on deck and can be vaccinated.
So far 885,756 people in the health region (72.3%) have had one vaccine dose and 655,826 (53.5%) are now fully vaccinated.
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Sweden has added 2,486 infections and one more corona death since Thursday’s update.
To date, 6,433,921 first vaccine doses (78.6% of the population) have been administered while 4,266,100 people (52.1%) are fully vaccinated.
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The Swedish Public Health Agency says third booster shots will likely be offered to “a larger proportion of the population” by next year but to what extent is still unclear. The agency says seniors over 80, especially those in nursing homes, and people in high risk groups will be offered a booster shot this fall.
State Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell:
“The assessment is that it is not possible to eradicate the virus and therefore vaccination work should be long-term and focused on reducing serious illness and death. It is still important that we have a special focus on vaccination of groups and residents in geographical areas with low vaccination coverage.”
According to Folkhälsomyndigheten “in the next few years, the vaccinations against covid-19 will probably be carried out with one or two mRNA vaccines and possibly an adjuvanted protein-based vaccine that can function as a complement.”
It is anticipating a four stage vaccination program with booster shots being phase three and a broader long term vaccination program in the years ahead as step four.
The national health agency says it expects the vaccination effort to get people two doses will likely wrap up this fall except for those aged 16 to 17 years old who will begin their vaccination process.
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Swedish Health officials are bracing for increasing numbers of childhood viruses including the RS virus. The pandemic, COVID restrictions, lockdowns, and flatlining global travel have resulted in record low numbers of flus, colds, and other childhood viruses. In Sweden it recorded the lowest incidences of the RS virus among children in more than 20 years. But as restrictions are lifted, society returns to normal, and travel resumes many countries are already seeing increases.
Swedish officials are watching Canada with interest as health officials there are seeing an early return of the RS virus and rapidly rising infection numbers. In Sweden there are increasing cases of the RS virus among children in Stockholm.
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Norway has added 477 infections and had no new coronavirus deaths since its Sunday update.
COVID hospitalizations (19) have crept up (+3) while the number of infected people in an ICU (5) and of those on a ventilator (3) have both edged upward (+1 each).
To date, 66.82% of Norwegians have had one vaccine dose and 33.82% have had both doses.
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Finland has registered 1,037 more coronavirus infections in the last two days. It reported 345 new cases on Monday and then another 692 today. It updates hospitalizations and fatality stats every Wednesday.
The Finnish vaccination campaign has administered 3,699,052 first vaccine doses (66.2% of the population) while 1,962,225 people (35.2%) are now fully vaccinated.
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COVID restrictions have been reintroduced in Southern Finland as the number of infections rises. It looks like the Helsinki metropolitan area will also soon see restrictions return. People are encouraged to continue working from home, face masks are required in public places, mask mandates will also likely return for outdoor public events. The Finnish government could also bring back restrictions on restaurants. The government will meet to discuss the situation on Thursday.
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The European Union Commission has announced all non-EU nationals who do not need a VISA to travel to Europe will be screened for authorization at a cost. The change comes as part of the EU Commission’s plan for a European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) to come online before the end of next year. Citizens of Canada, the US, the UK, and other countries whose residents can travel to the EU without a VISA will have to fill out an online form, pay €7, and in some cases requiring a more in depth screening wait up to 30 days for authorization to enter the European Union. For the “vast majority” of other applicants the approval should be almost automatic.
Per the press release:
“The system will cross-check travellers against EU information systems for internal security, borders and migration before their trip, helping to identify ahead of time people who may pose a risk to security or health, as well as compliance with migration rules.”
The system is being put in place to strengthen EU border controls and according to the EU Commission help prevent crime and terrorism.
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Hackers have captured the web services of the Italian region of Lazio, encrypted it, and have demanded a cryptocurrency ransom to release it. The impacts of the ransomware attack includes blocking anyone in the region, including in Rome, from being able to book COVID vaccination appointments. People who are vaccinated also can’t access their digital vaccine passport.
Governor Nicola Zingaretti, speaking to news agency Ansa, called it a terrorist attack.
"Lazio is the victim of the most serious criminal offensive ever carried out on the country's territory.”
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The Data Head of Our World in Data is highlighting global vaccine inequality. Edouard Mathieu says the numbers don’t lie.
“28% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 14% is fully vaccinated. 4.18 billion doses have been administered globally. But only 1% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.”
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Due to the long weekend the Government of Canada has not updated its COVID dashboard since July 30th.
On the vaccination front to date, 27,034,365 first vaccine doses (71.01% of the total population) have been administered while 22,551,137 people (59.23%) are now fully vaccinated.
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In the United States the State of Florida is ground zero for the new Delta variant driven infection wave as its infection numbers soar and the state shatters hospitalization records.
