The Evening Report - Jan 11
WHO warns of a “tidal wave” of Omicron infections sweeping across Europe
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Denmark’s Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says the COVID contact number (reinfection rate or R0) has increased from 0.9 last week to 1.0 this week. Heunicke says “we have a stable epidemic.” He adds hospitalizations especially ICU admissions have decoupled from the infection curve “a clear signal Omicron is milder and booster doses work.”
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The Danish government is signaling it wants to ease COVID restrictions as much as possible on cultural events and activities.
Health Minister Magnus Heunicke spoke to DR:
“The government's starting point is that we must be able to open as much as possible within cultural life as quickly as possible. That is why I have called the parties to a meeting tomorrow.”
Heunicke says the government has requested the Epidemic Commission to assess each individual restriction. The minister says they will have to wait to see what the Commission comes back with before any concrete details one way or the other can be announced.
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Some secondary schools and colleges in Denmark are floating the idea of isolating infected students in the schools. With soaring numbers of Omicron infections and almost certain outbreaks within student populations, more colleges are warming up to the idea of keeping those students in school instead of sending them home.
Silkeborg University College Principal Claus Staal spoke to DR:
“One could well imagine that we would isolate them in a section of the school.”
He says this would be done following the guidelines of Danish health authorities.
It is not just in Silkeborg as Folkehøjskoler in Rønde and Ry are also putting plans in place to isolate students who test positive in schools.
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Denmark is reporting 22,396 COVID infections, including 1,459 reinfections, and 14 more coronavirus deaths in the last day.
There were 428,248 total corona tests yesterday, of which 184,204 were PCR tests equaling a positivity percentage of 12.15%.
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A tweak to the coronapas will be made official by this coming weekend. Health Magnus Heunicke says the current 14 day suspension of the vaccine passport after a positive COVID test will be reduced to 11 days as of Sunday.
“Now we make a small adjustment here, where you go down to 11 days. There are also several other countries that have done the same thing, and that is the professional recommendation.”
Denmark’s Epidemic Committee will have to rubber stamp the change later this week.
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COVID hospitalizations (754) dropped day to day (-23) while the number of infected people in an ICU (73) inched downward (-1) and of those the number on a ventilator (46) also edged down (-1).
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Denmark is now adding COVID-related admissions to psychiatric wards as part of its regular reporting on hospitalization numbers. The Staten Serum Institut says there has been an increase in COVID-related patients being admitted into psychiatric wards. The SSI says pandemic admissions increased from 7% in early December to 12% later in the same month and then to 18% by January 10th. The agency says the increase is in line with pandemic patient increases across other hospitals wards.
The SSI says, as is the case elsewhere in hospitals, COVID patients in psychiatric wards increase the strain on resources as they must be kept in isolation, staff must have protective equipment around them, and they need special care.
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On the vaccination front, there were 44,859 total inoculations yesterday, with most, again, being booster doses (35,040).
So far, 82.2% of the total population has one vaccine dose, 79.5% have two, and over half, 54.1%, have a booster dose.
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More pharmacies are joining the effort to get people in Denmark vaccinated. Beginning Wednesday, people can get vaccinated at 28 pharmacies in Region Sjælland. Pharmacies are already administering vaccines in Metro Copenhagen, Region Syddanmark, and Region Nordjylland. Pharmacies in Region Midtjylland will come online on Thursday.
Pharmacist, and Deputy Chair of the Danish Pharmacists' Association, Mads Haaning says pharmacies may be able to reach people who otherwise may have otherwise chosen not to get vaccinated.
“There are the slightly younger people who have a busy everyday life who do have the time to book an appointment or have the free time to show up. And they have the opportunity to contact us a little more informally and get an appointment here at the pharmacy.”
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The Danish National Health Board says booster shot uptake in Denmark has been very high as the campaign enters its final phase. The health board says as of the beginning of December 2.5 million people were invited to get a 3rd vaccine dose, and since December 1 the vast majority, 2.3 million, have either had a booster shot or are scheduled to get one.
Unit Head Steen Dalsgård Jespersen:
“When we look back on a month of December with such high activity, we are very satisfied. A massive and successful vaccination effort has been delivered, and support has been and remains high. It has helped to provide great protection in the population at a time when the Omicron variant has provided great uncertainty about the development of the epidemic. The large number of vaccinations has been a decisive reason why, despite relatively high infection rates, we have come through the winter as well as we have.”
The national health agency says booster dose uptake in December was running at about 10 percentage points each week.
“It is very high, and if it continues, we will also get a really nice coverage among the younger part of the population.”
The health board says the booster shot campaign is entering a new phase where the focus is on playing clean-up in trying to reach any and all stragglers who have yet to have a 3rd dose. It stresses that there are plenty of available appointment times to get a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd vaccine dose.
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Sweden has added 70,641 infections and 54 more coronavirus deaths since its last update on Friday.
Last week, Sweden set a new record high for daily coronavirus numbers with 23,882 infections on January 5.
To date, 86.1% of the population 12 years old and older have one vaccine dose, 82.3% have two, and of those 33.1% of people 18 years old and older with two doses also have a booster dose.
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Citing Omicron-driven coronavirus infections “increasing sharply” across the country and a straining hospital system, the Swedish Public Health Agency is tightening COVID recommendations. Recommendations not restrictions, because there is no enforcement in Sweden.
The agency is especially concerned about the inroads the Omicron can make among the 1.3 million people over the age of 12 in Sweden who don’t have a single vaccine dose. It says “intensive work” is being done right now by the Swedish regions to reach out to the unvaccinated and work to convince them to get their shots. To emphasize the potential danger, the Swedish Public Health Agency notes, the number of unvaccinated people in intensive care right now are 12 times higher than those with two doses.
CEO Karin Tegmark Wisell:
“It is of utmost importance that those who have not yet been vaccinated do so as soon as possible. More people need to be vaccinated because vaccines provide very good protection against serious illness and death. We are in a situation where the spread of infection is increasing sharply, and the Omicron variant has proven to be very contagious even for those who are vaccinated with two doses, even though it then in most people gives a very mild disease. In order to slow down the spread of infection, contacts throughout the population therefore need to be reduced.”
While Sweden already recommends social distancing, working from home as much as possible, and mask use, it is now tabling further measures.
“Measures aimed at reducing contacts in the adult population and thereby slowing the spread of infection and the burden on health care. It is mainly a matter of limiting large gatherings indoors. All adults are also encouraged to limit the number of close contacts indoors, by refraining from larger dinners and parties as well as similar social situations.”
New recommendations:
Private gatherings in rented facilities capped at 20 people.
Public gatherings including trade shows capped at 500 attendees and a coronapas is required to enter.
For trade shows with more than 50 attendees, the space must allow for at least 10 square meters per person. Groups of no more than eight with one meter social distancing between. A coronapas is also required for entry. The event must close by 11pm.
For both indoor and outdoor public gatherings with more than 20 attendees, everyone must be seated with a maximum of eight people per group with one meter social distancing between. There are some exceptions for religious ceremonies. A coronapas is also required in all instances.
Requiring a negative COVID test to enter Sweden for everyone over the age of 12 will be scrapped. Instead, a coronapas will be required for everyone 18 years old and older.
The new recommendations come into force on January 12 and will be reviewed every two weeks but should remain in place until at least mid-February. The agency says they will be phased out “as soon as the protection of the population has increased, and the situation in health care has stabilized.”
The Swedish Public Health Agency says it is also working on recommendations for mixed in class and online learning for universities and adult continuing education facilities.
This is in addition to existing recommendations:
Everyone should maintain social distancing, and avoid crowded areas.
Work from home whenever possible
Passengers must be seated on long distance public transportation
Masks must be worn on public transportation and in any instance where social distancing isn’t possible.
Culture and leisure facilities and events must ensure the space allows for 10 square meters per person. Exceptions for activities for children.
Schools should keep kids outside as much as possible and classes are not to mix.
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Hospitals in Southern Sweden are under immense pressure with no end in sight. Region Skåne’s says hospitals are being inundated with COVID patients, while at the same time the Omicron wave has also resulted in sidelining many healthcare staff. The strain is now resulting in a “high load on operations” that is impacting healthcare delivery across the board.
Director of Health and Medical Care Pia Lundbom:
“The number of patients with COVID is increasing all the time and at the same time we have other seriously ill patients who need our resources. In addition, an unusually high number of our employees are sick or have to stay in quarantine. This means that the pandemic once again is impacting planned activities and unfortunately people have to wait longer for treatment.”
Lundbom says intensive efforts are being made to get to people on waiting lists for various procedures and surgeries.
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Finland has registered 9,768 infections and another 10 corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (620) are unchanged day to day.
To date, 77.5% of the total population have one dose, 74.1% have two, and 28.2% have a booster dose.
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Hospitals in Helsinki are activating COVID reserve facilities to alleviate the pressure on the healthcare system from the Omicron infection wave. YLE is reporting that an emergency facility has now become operational in Helsinki. It has the capacity to treat another 50 patients at a time. A similar facility is also now online at the Laakso Hospital, also in Helsinki, it is currently treating 104 coronavirus patients. About a quarter of all new infections in Finland are in Metro Helsinki.
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Norway added 6,540 infections and had no new pandemic death in the last 24 hours.
COVID hospitalizations (277) are up (+7) and ICU numbers (85) are down (-7).
To date, 79.6% of Norwegians 12 years old and older have one vaccine dose, 73.1% have two, and 35.9% have a booster dose.
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Police in Austria will be hitting the streets to enforce the country’s strict restrictions on those who have chosen not to be vaccinated. Austrian police, both in uniform and in plainclothes, will be checking to see if COVID rules are being complied with and that the unvaccinated, who remain under a lockdown in Austria, are not leaving their homes except to go to work, buy groceries, or seek medical attention. So far, police have issued over 12,000 citations.
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COVID restrictions have been extended by another three weeks in Iceland as the country grapples with surging infections numbers as they reached a record-high 3,590 on Tuesday. Restrictions were imposed just before Christmas and they include an assembly ban of 20 people, bars and restaurants must close at 10pm, and access to pools and gyms is being regulated to ensure social distancing and infection control.
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The European Medicines Agency says the risk of hospitalization with the Omicron variant is much lower than it is for the Delta strain. The agency has drawn the conclusion after going over the latest studies from South Africa, the United Kingdom, and countries across the EU. It calculates hospitalization risk with Omicron to be between one-third to half that of Delta.
The EMA also warns vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection from the Omicron variant is lower and “tends to wane over time.” This means more breakthrough infections.
That said, the agency adds vaccine protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death remains very high. It cites data from South Africa indicating people who have received two vaccine doses have up to 70% protection against hospitalization. While a UK study shows a booster dose pushes vaccine efficacy up to 90%
The EMA is also warning against dismissing the Omicron variant as “mild.” It says its hyper-infectiousness will result in huge numbers of infected people and that will cause a significant burden.
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The European Medicines Agency says it is reviewing an application from Pfizer/BioNTech to extend the use of its COVID vaccine as a booster dose for 16 to 17 year olds. The EMA doesn’t say when it will render a decision.
The agency also says it expects Pfizer to soon submit an application for approval for booster doses for those 12 to 15 years old.
It says some children can suffer from severe cases of the coronavirus resulting in hospitalization and, in even rarer cases death. The EMA says all available evidence, and there is a mountain of it, is that vaccines offer children strong protection against infection and severe illness.
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The EMA is also warning that pregnant women are at higher risk of becoming infected with coronavirus than those who are not pregnant. It is encouraging pregnant women to get vaccinated, saying vaccines greatly reduce the risk of hospitalizations and deaths from COVID during pregnancy. It also emphasizes that vaccines do not cause any pregnancy complications and do not harm the unborn child.
WHO🌍
The Omicron variant was described as a tidal wave sweeping from west to east across Europe by the World Health Organization on Wednesday. On the one hand, the WHO says data from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Denmark, show it poses a much reduced risk of hospitalization. On the other hand, however, it says there are other aspects of severity, including being extremely contagious, and Omicron checks all of those boxes.
WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge says the region is under ”intense pressure” with over 7-million new COVID cases in the first week of 2022, more than double the amount of infections from the last two weeks of 2021. Kluge says countries in the European region, which includes the EU but also all other countries outside of it, have reported 1% of their populations are being infected by the variant each week.
“At this rate, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) forecasts that more than 50% of the population in the Region will be infected with Omicron in the next 6-8 weeks.”
Kluge says he is deeply concerned about what he calls a tidal wave of Omicron infections sweeping east across Europe.
“As the variant moves east, we have yet to see its full impact in countries where levels of vaccination uptake are lower, and where we will see more severe disease in the unvaccinated.”
Kluge cites data from Denmark, where Omicron infections have exploded, in saying the risk of hospitalization due to an Omicron infection was six times higher for those who were unvaccinated.
He is also concerned about the threat the variant poses to pregnant women.
“Data from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System shows 96% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with COVID-19 symptoms between May and October of 2021 were unvaccinated, a third of whom required respiratory support.”
Kluge also warned hospital systems across the European region are very much in harms way.
“Because of the unprecedented scale of transmission, we are now seeing rising COVID hospitalizations. It is challenging health systems and service delivery in many countries where Omicron has spread at speed, and threatens to overwhelm in many more. Once again, the greatest burden of responding to this pandemic is being carried by our health and care staff, and other essential front-line workers. They also carry the highest exposure to the virus.”
He also called for more support for the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers who have been out through an emotional and physical grind for two years and counting due to the pandemic.
Kluge says countries must take every precaution including mask mandates indoors and outdoors, populations should be vaccinated as much as humanly possible especially healthcare workers, and testing increased. If that can’t be done then PCR tests should be prioritized for critical workers, healthcare workers, patients, and those at high risk. He also urges areas where testing is maxed out to unleash rapid tests.
Lastly, he encourages every effort to make schools as safe as possible with mask use, hand washing, and good indoor ventilation. Kluge also urges teachers and school staff to be a vaccination priority.
“Schools should be the last places to close and the first to reopen. Looking ahead, the numbers of infected people are going to be so high in many countries that schools may be unable to keep all classes open all the time, due to a lack of staff. This winter, it is advisable to make arrangements for online learning alongside physical presence, so children can continue with their education when they are unable to attend school in person.”
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The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added Canada to its list of countries where Americans are advised not to travel due to the COVID situation. It raised the threat level on Canada to “Level Four: Very High” on Tuesday. Canada joins about 80 other countries around the world on the travel no go list.
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If you are unvaccinated in Quebec, you might soon be on the hook for an extra tax. Premier François Legault says those who are unvaccinated are a drag on the healthcare system costing taxpayers so now they will have to make up the difference with a ‘healthcare contribution.’
Legault as quoted by the CBC:
“We're looking for a health contribution for adults who refuse to be vaccinated for non-medical reasons. I know the situation is tough, but we can get through this together. We need to focus efforts on two things: getting the first, second, and third doses of vaccine and reducing our contacts, especially with older people.”
The Premier did not say how much the tax would be but added those details would come in the weeks ahead.
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Canada reported 34,174 infections and 74 more coronavirus deaths yesterday. Note the warning on the Government of Canada COVID dashboard “Due to changes in COVID testing policies in many jurisdictions starting in late December 2021, case counts will underestimate the total burden of disease.”
The Canadian vaccination campaign has so far administered 31,592,375 1st doses (82.62% of the total population) while 29,551,647 people (77.29%) have a 2nd dose, and of those, 10,569,605 people are fully vaccinated with three doses.
Due to an array of testing issues we are now focusing on hospital numbers and the positivity percentage for the provinces as a more accurate assessment of the pandemic situation.
In Ontario, hospital admissions (3,220) rocketed upward (+573) while ICU numbers (477) also jumped (+39). Worth noting, the province set a new daily record for intensive care admissions on Monday with 80. It has a positivity percentage of 24.4%.
Quebec reported a new record high number of hospitalizations (2,742) after a hefty increase (+188) while ICU numbers (255) also rose (+7). The province has 62 more deaths, the highest number in almost a year. It has a positivity percentage of 20.1%.
In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia has 58 people in hospital (+15) and four in an ICU, along with one more death. New Brunswick has a record high 88 hospitalizations (+2) while 14 people are in an ICU and of those 11 are on a ventilator (+1).
Manitoba saw 40 more hospital admissions pushing the total to a pandemic record-high 418, while 42 COVID patients are in an ICU, an increase of three. The province has a positivity percentage of a jaw dropping 48.1%.
There were 121 hospitalizations (+2) while the number in intensive care (11) is unchanged in Saskatchewan. 45% of patients in the province’s hospitals are either unvaccinated or have a single dose. It has a positivity percentage of 29%.
Alberta logged 708 hospitalizations on Wednesday, which have jumped (+73) while the number of those in intensive care (80) also rose (+8). There have been eight more deaths day to day. The province has a positivity percentage of 38.55%. Since Friday hospitalizations in Alberta have increased by 40%.
In B.C. hospitalizations (467) have increased since Friday (+38) while ICU numbers (95) edged up (+2). 95.6% of base hospitals beds are in use and 24.9% of surge beds. ICU capacity is at 87.2%. The provinces has a positivity percentage of 18.19%. There have been three more deaths.