The Evening Report - Feb 2

Record high hospitalizations and daily infection numbers in Denmark

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A majority of people in Denmark support a return to near-normal and the lifting of virtually all restrictions according to the latest assessment of public mood. The HOPE project has been monitoring how people have been feeling for the entire pandemic.

Political Science Professor and head of the HOPE project Michael Bang Petersen says a clear majority want a return to normal life and a minority (28%) have concerns.

“Throughout the pandemic, our data shows that the key worry of Danes is not their health but overwhelmed hospitals. In fact, in January 2022, the average Dane was more worried about lockdowns than their own health. Why this lack of worry? Because Danes are highly vaccinated and our data shows that their trust in vaccines is high. 81% of the entire population is vaccinated and 61% of the population has received a booster dose.”

Petersen says they have been tracking feelings of societal threat for the entire pandemic, and it has been dropping sharply for the last month and is “at the lowest point we have measured.”

He says while infection numbers soar the pressure on hospitals has eased considerably. But while ICU numbers drop and most hospital stays are short, Petersen says there is one concern. That is, that the Omicron infection wave hasn’t peaked yet.

The other thing topping his concern list is long-COVID and the HOPE project found that is a concern shared by about half of the Danish population.

“Should Denmark wait until all concerns have been settled? Maybe. But waiting is not free. It has costs in terms of the economy, well-being and democratic rights. Balancing these is an explicit part of the Danish strategy. Our research shows that these costs generate pandemic fatigue, which fuels distrust. When well-being has been relatively high in Denmark, it is, in part, because measures have been somewhat mild and because they have been relaxed when possible.”

Petersen says pandemic management is about trade-offs.

“So, opening up imposes costs on some. Why do they accept it? My guess is: For the same reason that most young Danes have complied meticulously with restrictions: Trust in authorities and solidarity with society. These have been internationally high in Denmark. In return, there is a high motivation to help those at risk, despite that most do not feel that this is a threat to themselves. We see no drop in Danes' motivation to keep distance from the elderly and those at risk. People care and will continue to take precautions.”

He says this does not mean the pandemic is over or that restrictions might not return. Petersen says lockdowns breed mistrust, so it is important to relax measures when possible, and if it is not over, and if lockdowns return, “societies will need as much trust and solidarity as they can muster.”

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Denmark has reported a record high 55,001 COVID infections, including 2,992 reinfections, and 20 more coronavirus deaths in the last day.

Yesterday there were 331,884 total corona tests done, of which 204,652 were PCR tests equaling a positivity percentage of 26.87%.

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COVID hospitalizations (1,092) continue to climb (+22) setting a new record high while the number of severely infected people in an ICU (26) keeps falling (-2) and of those on a ventilator (16) inched up (+2) admissions to psych wards (256) keep climbing (+13).

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Researchers at Denmark’s Staten Serum Institut have taken a deeper dive into the risk of rare but potentially fatal blood clots after receiving an AstraZeneca vaccination. Denmark abandoned the AstraZeneca vaccine after a Danish-Norwegian study found a link between the vaccine and rare cases of blood clotting and low blood platelets.

Now Danish researchers have dug a bit deeper, examining some 355,209 frontline healthcare and social services staff, who were among the first to be offered vaccinations using AstraZeneca. In all, there were 121,152 people vaccinated with AstraZeneca, with the rest either vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine or at that point in time, not vaccinated at all.

Professor Anders Hviid:

“In our study, we have gone to great lengths to eliminate all other factors that could increase the risk of developing blood clots.”

The study concluded cases of post-vaccination blood clots and platelet deficiency were very rare. For every 100,000 AstraZeneca vaccinations, researchers estimated that there would be 1.68 cases of blood clots in the brain, 2.39 cases of platelet deficiency, and 8.35 cases of blood clots in the arms, legs, or pelvis.

“Overall, our findings in the new study fit with our Danish-Norwegian study from last year. It is reassuring that we have come to the same conclusion, regardless of what data and what analysis tools we use. And I thought that the two studies complement each other well.”

Denmark removed the AstraZeneca vaccine from the national program in the spring of 2021 but reintroduced it in an alternate vaccination scheme run by private providers months later.

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On the vaccination front, the campaign continues to slow down. There were just 4,687 booster doses administered in the last 24 hours.

To date, 82.5% of the total population have one dose, 80.8% have two doses, and 60.8% have had a 3rd dose.

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With COVID no longer being considered a socially critical disease in Denmark and virtually all restrictions now abolished, the Danish Agency for Patient Safety is scaling down contact tracing efforts.

As of this week, contact tracing staff will no longer be calling people who have tested positive to gather information and answer any questions.

Deputy Director Birgitte Drewes:

“Infection detection, as we have known it so far, is no longer necessary or realistic. The vast majority have become familiar with COVID-19 and know what to do if they become infected or are in close contact. The time has therefore come to stop unsolicited, active outreach efforts to those who are infected. We have not yet seen the infection curve broken; therefore, we continue to be available to citizens who need our help and guidance.”

People testing positive can call the agency’s COVID help line (3232 0511) or use the online self-service option. Styrelsen for Patientsikkerhed will also send emails to the e-Boks of those testing positive with basic precautions infected people should take.

The agency will also now reassess its whole contact tracing unit, of which many staff were hired over the last two years of the pandemic.

🇩🇰 🇳🇴

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is teaming up with Danish researchers and Aalborg University Hospital to try and answer the question of whether glasses or sunglasses can or cannot protect against being infected by COVID. The agency says people can be infected when airborne particles enter the body through contact with the eyes. The institute is looking for people to take part in a study. Participants would be divided into two groups. One would wear glasses or sunglasses while mingling with people; the other would not.

The NIPH doesn’t say how long the study will last or when results will be published.

🇸🇪

Sweden has added 39,205 infections and another 61 corona deaths in the last 24 hours.

To date, 86.5% of the pop 12 years old and older have one vaccine dose, 83.6% have two, and 49.4% of those 18 years old and older have a booster dose.

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COVID hospitalizations remain high in Sweden’s capital region. Region Stockholm says there are 649 infection cases in hospital, a decline of one from the day before. Of those, 39 were in intensive care. As of Wednesday afternoon, the region reports it has 150 vacant care beds and the staff to man them, an increase from 95 empty care beds on Tuesday.

As of February 1, Region Stockholm had a positivity percentage of a soaring 55.42%.

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As the Swedish Public Health Agency slashes the interval between the 2nd and 3rd vaccine doses, Southern Sweden is trying to reach booster dose stragglers. For everyone who qualifies for a booster shot, the gap between a 2nd and 3rd dose has been reduced from five down to three months.

Region Skåne Vaccine Coordinator Maria Landgren:

“Currently, about 400,000 Scanians are eligible for a vaccine booster shot. Two doses provide good protection against serious illness and death. The third dose prolongs and strengthens that protection. It also provides increased protection against becoming infected and spreading the infection further.”

She says the region has plenty of free times available for people to book a vaccination appointment.

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Frontline healthcare workers in Sweden’s capital region could get a COVID bonus cheque as a thank you for “extraordinary efforts in the pandemic.” The Stockholm Regional Committee is proposing the bonus, which equals about 10,000 Swedish kroner (About $1,400 Cdn) for each healthcare worker on a full time schedule.

To qualify for the COVID bonus staff must be employed with a monthly salary in Region Stockholm or in companies where the region is a majority owner. Staff would also have to have been employed since July 2021 and still be receiving a monthly salary when the regional council makes a decision on the bonus proposal this May.

It is worth noting the proposal dictates the COVID bonus go entirely to frontline staff and excludes administrators, directors, and those with political appointments from qualifying for it.

As well, Boards for the region's independent caregivers, Karolinska University Hospital, Södersjukhuset, Danderyds Hospital, Södertälje Hospital and Stockholm County Health Care Area are looking at giving about 38,000 employees an extra four days off for “pandemic recovery.”

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Finland registered 8,038 infections and 22 more virus deaths since yesterday’s update.

COVID hospitalizations (655) are down (-14).

So far, 78% of the total population have one dose, 73.7% have two, and 44.8% have a booster dose.

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Hearts, chocolate, and goodbye restrictions. The Finnish government says it will begin to reopen society and take down COVID measures on February 14.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin:

“To start with, restaurants and bars from Valentine's Day are allowed to serve alcohol until 11pm. At the same time, they can stay open until midnight. All restrictions on gatherings will be lifted on the same day. This means that cultural and sporting events can be held again.”

Nightclubs will remain shuttered, but not for much longer as by March 1, the government plans to have removed all COVID restrictions. It sounds like the corona passport will also be put back on the shelf. Marin says they are keeping a close eye on Denmark and Norway, who have already either removed all restrictions or begun to phase them out.

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Norway added 25,142 infections and 27 pandemic deaths in the last day. It is worth noting that the Norwegian Institute for Public Health is now emphasizing hospitalization numbers and not infection numbers as a better barometer of the epidemic.

COVID hospitalizations (280) are up (+13) while the number of severely infected people in an ICU (51) also crept upward (+4) of those, the number on a ventilator (31) inched up as well (+1).

So far, 80.1% of Norwegians 12 years old and older have one vaccine dose, 74.1% have two, and 50.3% have a booster.

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Germany recorded 208,498 infections and another 196 corona deaths since yesterday’s update.

There were 1,497 new hospitalizations while ICU numbers (2,257) continue to drop (+43).

To date, 75.8% of the total population have one dose, 74.1% have two, and 53.3% have a booster.

🇪🇺

Effective February 1, the EU Digital COVID Certificate has new rules around the length of time it is valid after a primary vaccination course. After two doses of most vaccines, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson, the digital passport will remain valid for a period of nine months (270 days). The EU says for the express purpose of travel, European countries within the trading block must allow for free travel within Europe for people with a valid corona passport.

“A person who has a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate should in principle not be subject to additional restrictions, such as tests or quarantine, regardless of their place of departure in the EU.”

Although the EU, does make sure to add while the passport may get you into a country, member nations may have different rules “in a domestic context” for things like eating in restaurants, seeing a movie, etc.

If nine months has lapsed since a second dose and no booster shot has been administered, then the EU Digital COVID Certificate is no longer valid. Rules around length of validity with a booster shot have yet to be defined.

As for people without an EU Digital Certificate, they should be allowed to travel based on a recent negative COVID test. But the EU warns they may face mandatory quarantine requirements.

🇪🇺🦠

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s latest COVID risk assessment map of the pandemic situation across the European Union is out and once again Europe is painted high-risk deep red.

WHO🌏🦠

The World Health Organization continues to push back against any categorization that the Omicron variant is mild and that countries should treat its massive infection spread as some kind of exit ramp out of the pandemic.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says if Omicron is so mild, why is his organization again seeing a rising number of global pandemic deaths?

“Since Omicron was first identified just 10 weeks ago, almost 90 million cases have been reported to WHO, more than were reported in the whole of 2020. We are now starting to see a very worrying increase in deaths, in most regions of the world.”

Dr. Tedros took direct aim at countries he says are either surrendering to the Omicron variant or declaring victory. He says the virus remains lethally dangerous and continues to evolve, noting the even more contagious Omicron sub-variant BA.2. And he adds that is just one of four sub-lineages being tracked by the WHO.

“We’re concerned that a narrative has taken hold in some countries that because of vaccinations, and because of Omicron’s high transmissibility and lower severity, preventing transmission is no longer possible, and no longer necessary. Nothing could be further from the truth. More COVID transmission means more deaths. We are not calling for any country to return to a so-called lockdown. But we are calling on all countries to protect their people using every tool in the toolkit, not vaccines alone.”

WHO COVID Technical Lead Maria Van Kerkhove agrees that it is dangerous to view Omicron as “mild.”

“I know everyone wants to get back to “normal, but this level of intense circulation and death is not “normal." It is not a global situation that should be accepted nor tolerated when we have the tools to change the course of this pandemic. In the last week, more than 63,377 people lost their lives to COVID. While some may be ready to move on from this pandemic, more than 63,377 people cannot, nor can the more than 5.6 million who have also died, nor can their families who are grieving. We need to work together to end the emergency of this pandemic for everyone, everywhere. Right now, we can increase vaccination coverage and protect the most vulnerable from dying in all countries, while at the same time reducing the spread with mask wearing, social distancing, testing, and staying home when you are not feeling well.”

At the country level, she urges governments to improve COVID surveillance, amp up testing, improve indoor ventilation, fight misinformation, and support the healthcare sector, and the people working in it.

The WHO says it isn’t just working to fight the pandemic now it is also focused on future threats and last Friday, held its latest global consultation on coronavirus vaccines effective against not just COVID but a broad spectrum of coronaviruses.

🇨🇦

Canada added 11,077 COVID infections while suffering another 160 deaths, which pushes the total to date pandemic deaths over 34,000. Remember, infected numbers are likely very underreported due to testing systems being overwhelmed across the country.

The Canadian vaccination effort has so far administered 31,966,360 1st vaccine doses (83.60% of the total population) while 30,194,429 people (78.97%) have a two doses, and of those 15,839,293 people are fully vaccinated with three doses.

Ontario saw hospitalizations (2,939) decreased (-152) while ICU numbers (555) were down (-13). The province lost another 72 lives to coronavirus. It has a positivity percentage of 14.10%

Quebec has a positivity percentage of 11.29%. Hospitalizations (2,730) have declined (-122) while ICU numbers (204) have dropped (-14). The province lost another 50 lives to the pandemic.

In Newfoundland and Labrador there were four pandemic deaths today, tying thr daily record for deadliest day yet. Hospitalizations (20) are down (-5) with 9 people in intensive care, a drop of two. The province’s positivity percentage shot up to 28.6%

Nova Scotia hospitalizations (92) dropped (-3) and ICU numbers (13) remained unchanged. The province recorded six more pandemic deaths. It has a positivity percentage of 12.77%.

In New Brunswick there are a record high 165 people in hospital (+2) with 16 in an ICU (-1). The province also saw four more deaths. It has a positivity percentage of 19.12%

Manitoba saw hospitalizations (744) increase again (+4) setting a new record high. The province will begin easing COVID restrictions next week.

Saskatchewan had hospitalizations (372) rise (+2) setting another record high. There are 40 people in an ICU (+1). The province had four more pandemic deaths. Its positivity percentage is 27%.

Alberta hospitalizations (1,598) reached another record-high (+17) while ICU numbers (106) crept down (-3). The province saw another 14 pandemic deaths. Its positivity percentage is 39.97%.

In B.C. hospitalizations (988) declined (-47) and ICU numbers (136) crept down (-2). The province had 18 more COVID deaths. It has a positivity percentage of 17.58%