The Evening Report - Jan 25
Denmark wants to have another try at returning to near normal
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It looks like Denmark is set to lift virtually all COVID restrictions by next Monday. DR is reporting that the Epidemic Commission has recommended removing the âsocially critical diseaseâ designation from the coronavirus. The designation provides the legal foundation for the governmentâs ability to levy restrictions, and once it is removed, most restrictions will vanish. The designation is due to expire January 31, unless extended, but it sounds like it will be allowed to lapse.
The final decision will be made by the parties in the Danish parliament. A meeting is scheduled for noon on Wednesday for the parties health rapporteurs and the all party Epidemic Committee will also meet at 3:45pm. Danish media are reporting that Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will likely call a press conference on Wednesday.
While most restrictions look to be headed for the exit DR says the Epidemic Commission has recommended keeping a testing mandate in place for incoming travelers. It also wants mask mandates in hospitals and senior care facilities to remain in place.
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For a second straight week the COVID contact number (reinfection rate or R0) in Denmark was calculated at 1.2, according to Health Minister Magnus Heunicke. He adds that it is âour current assessment that the epidemic will peak in the near future.â Heunicke says they have âgood controlâ over hospitalizations thanks in large part to high vaccination uptake and the Omicron variant generally causing less severe infections.
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COVID quarantine timelines have been shortened as the Danish National Board of Health tries to address massive staffing shortages due to the Omicron variant roaring through the population.
Quarantines in most cases have been reduced to four days even for those who have tested positive, as long as their symptoms are mild or non-existent.
In making the move, the National Board of Health cites a âvery extensive community infectionâ and large numbers of people having to isolate, resulting in âdifficulties in maintaining societal functions.â It also notes the disconnect between extremely high infection numbers and the declining number of infection cases in intensive care. âThis is probably due to both high population immunity and the reduced ability of the Omicron variant to cause disease.â
Deputy Director Helene Probst:
âThere must be a balance between the situation we are in and the recommendations we have. The recent marked increase in the number of infected has had major consequences for society. Indeed, many people have had to self-isolate, and many workplaces have found it very difficult to function. At the same time, we believe that it is medically justifiable to relax our recommendations because we have such a high level of immunity in the population and because we have protected those who are at increased risk of becoming seriously ill.â
In making the case for âextensiveâ population-level immunity, Probst says, 4.7 million people have two vaccine doses, 3.5 million have a booster dose, and over one-million people in Denmark are estimated to have been infected since December. She says this has resulted in a âsignificant overlapâ between those with vaccine-induced immunity and those with antibodies from having an infection. âThe overall immunity must therefore be assumed to be significant in the population.â
âThe relaxed recommendations will mean that there will be more infections. We can not stop all chains of infection, but we can reduce infection spread as much as possible. Therefore, we have taken into account in the recommendations that you must isolate where there is the greatest risk of infection, namely in the period just before you get symptoms and when you have symptoms.â
The health board is urging people to be cautious and do everything they can to reduce COVID spread, especially among vulnerable populations and in nursing homes and hospitals.
Sundhedsstyrelsen has also issued a blanket recommendation across Denmark that partners who have tested positive can be in the room when their wife gives birth to their child.
Recommendations:
People with significant symptoms
Isolate as soon as symptoms begin and get an immediate PCR test
If the PCR test comes back positive remain in isolation until symptoms disappear, but quarantine must be at least a minimum of four days from a positive test.
For slightly symptomatic or asymptomatic people
If testing positive on a rapid or PCR test isolate for four days
A positive rapid test must be backed up with a PCR test as soon as possible.
Should symptoms develop remain in isolation until they subside, but quarantine canât end until day five.
Household close contacts
Get a rapid or PCR test on day three after the person in the home tests positive.
Close contacts in a household do not have to be isolated as long as they test negative.
Special circumstances
A type II surgical mask is required when visiting someone in a hospital, in a nursing home, or a visit to a vulnerable or immunocompromised person for both those testing positive and close contacts. For someone who has tested positive, the three days begin on the first day a quarantine ends. For close contacts it is the period between exposure and a (hopefully) negative test result on day three.
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Denmark is reporting 46,590 COVID infections, including 2,856 reinfections, and 14 more coronavirus deaths in the last day. Keep in mind these numbers are likely underreported due to self-testing and some âescapeâ infections, people who are asymptomatic who havenât been tested.
Yesterday, there were 474,238 total corona tests done, of which 213,616 were PCR tests equaling a positivity percentage of a sky high 21.81%.
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SamsĂž is the lone Danish kommune with a COVID incidence rate of less than 1,000 per 100,000 people. A full 27 now have an incidence rate over 5,000, with two, Hvidovre and VallensbĂŠk, in excess of 6,000. These are numbers that would have been unheard of just a month or two ago.
Out of Denmarkâs 98 municipalities, only three have a COVID incidence rate that is not trending upward.
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COVID hospitalizations (918) continue an upward march (+24) as they close in on record highs while the number of severely infected people in an ICU (44) crept up (+1) and of those on a ventilator (21) the number inched down (-1) and admissions to psychiatric wards (222) are unchanged.
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In its latest risk assessment, the Epidemic Commission expects the number of patients being admitted due to COVID and requiring treatment to steadily decline in the weeks ahead. At the same time, the Danish National Board of Health anticipates the number of general hospital admissions of people who have tested positive to increase. The Health Board explains the difference is between people being admitted due to COVID and those admitted for other reasons who have COVID.
At the moment, about 30-40% of hospital admissions are people who have tested positive but are being hospitalized for a non-pandemic reason. This is a reflection of the pure saturation of the Omicron variant across Denmark and generally its less severe impacts. On top of that, the health board says fewer than half of COVID patients being admitted have lower respiratory track infections. This is when the virus gets into the lungs and poses a serious threat requiring medical intervention.
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On the vaccination front, there were just 18,313 inoculations yesterday, with most (16,081) being booster doses.
There were just 106 1st doses administered on Monday, the lowest daily number in many months.
So far, 82.5% of the total population has one dose, 80.6% have two, and 59.7% have a booster.
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While Denmark seems set to remove virtually all COVID restrictions, it is the opposite story in Greenland. Measures have been tightened and extended until at least February 14. In a Tuesday press conference Trade and Industry Minister Pele Broberg said mask mandates will remain in place, as will coronapas requirements. As well, Greenland has removed the negative test option from their vaccine passport system. So anyone 15 years old and older who is unvaccinated is barred from entering places like movie theatres, restaurants, and pubs unless they are required to as part of their work duties.
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Sweden has added 138,985 infections and another 19 corona deaths since its last update Friday. Cases are likely underreported due to Swedenâs lower testing numbers.
To contrast Sweden reported 97,248 cases last Tuesday over the same three day period, which at the time was a major increase.
The Swedish Public Health Agency is now reporting a record high of 43,721 cases on January 20 (last Thursday) as measured by the date of a positive test.
To date, 86.6% of population 12 years old and older have one vaccine dose, 83.4% have two, and of those 18 years old and older 34.4% have a booster.
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Swedenâs capital region continues to see a major COVID crunch as infections rise rapidly and hospitals continue to strain under the pressure. There are 639 coronavirus patients in hospitals across Region Stockholm, which is 144 more patients than there were a week ago. As of Tuesday afternoon, the region had 189 staffed care beds that were ready for use.
Chief Physician Johan Bratt:
âThere are very many patients who have COVID and need care. This, together with high sick leave rates among healthcare staff, means that the situation remains strained in virtually all care areas. Patients with COVID who need care in an emergency hospital require lots of resources. Whether coronavirus is the main diagnosis or the secondary diagnosis. All these patients must be cared for in an infection-proof way, which is very resource-intensive. We continue to make efforts to facilitate this by taking help from care providers outside the emergency hospitals.â
Last week, 121,449 corona tests were administered with 67,569 positive test results coming back, a positivity percentage of a stunning 56.3%.
Infection Control doctor Maria RotzĂ©n Ăstlund.
âDespite continued restrictions on sampling capacity in relation to demand, we see a 45 percent increase in the number of those found infected. We can only state that we do not yet see any signals of a reduced spread of the infection.â
Despite dramatically increasing COVID testing, the system continues to be overrun by the sheer number of infections. Tests in Region Stockholm have been prioritized to the groups deemed to need them the most.
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It is much the same story in Southern Sweden where Region SkÄne is reporting a positivity percentage of 55% last week. There were 28,610 confirmed cases, with the largest increase among those aged 30 to 49 years old.
The region is also warning that the sheer number of people off sick due to extensive infection spread is placing significant pressure on healthcare and other societal functions. For example, it says 44% of the regionâs own employees tested positive just last week.
Infection Control Doctor Eva Melander:
âThe number of patients in an ICU due to COVID has been stable for a few weeks. The number of patients admitted with COVID has shifted up and down a bit in recent weeks. The high spread of social infection entails a risk that this figure may increase further in the coming weeks.â
COVID testing in the region has now been prioritized to the people who need it most, including healthcare workers.
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Finland registered 7,009 infections and had no new virus deaths since yesterdayâs update.
COVID hospitalizations (682) are unchanged while ICU numbers (52) are down (-11).
So far, 76.2% of total population have one vaccine dose, 73.4% have two, and 40.7% have a booster dose.
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A study from the Finnish Institute for Health has found that death rates have not increased after beginning mass COVID vaccinations. The study monitored 4.4 million people who had one dose, 4.1 million with two, and an additional 2.1 million who had a booster dose. Researchers checked up on them over a period of up to 41 days after vaccinations were administered.
The study found that when vaccinated people, regardless of vaccine brand administered, were compared with those who were unvaccinated, the mortality rates were lower for those with vaccinations than those without.
Senior Researcher Petteri Hovi:
âLow mortality after vaccination is partly explained by the fact that those in good condition and health get vaccines more actively.â
The study took into account gender, age, underlying health conditions, and other factors.
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Norway added 28,065 infections and two more pandemic deaths since Sundayâs update.
COVID hospitalizations (253) inched down (-2) while ICU numbers (60) also dropped (-7) and of those the number on a ventilator (36) declined as well (-8).
To date, 79.9% of Norwegians 12 years old and older have one dose, 73.8% have two, and 47% have a booster shot.
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The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is changing its infection monitoring off of daily COVID cases to hospitalizations and things like wastewater surveillance. The agency has made a change in infection reporting that will essentially divorce the daily reported numbers from what is actually happening.
It has recommended that anyone with three vaccine doses or with two doses and an infection recovery no longer needs to get a PCR test after a positive self-test. It says the change will apply to an estimated 2.5 million people. People can report their positive self-test online, but very few actually do.
Department Director Line Vold:
âThis means that we will get significantly fewer cases reported than before. The NIPH supports this reorganization. It is now important to find ways to reduce the burden on the municipalities and laboratories. In the phase we are in now, it is more important to reduce the burden on the municipalities, than to ensure registration of all cases. The main step now is to monitor the incidence of hospitalizations, which is one of the most important indicators of the epidemic's development. We also use systems that are already used for other respiratory infections, such as the flu.â
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Germany reported 126,955 infections and 214 more corona deaths in the last day.
There were another 1,134 hospitalizations on Monday and ICU numbers (2,483) were up (+12).
75.5% of the total population have one vaccine dose, 73.5% have two, and 50.8% have a booster
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France has shattered all previous daily COVID infection records as it reported a jaw-dropping 501,635 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, along with another 467 pandemic deaths.
With just over 17 million total COVID infections recorded so far in the pandemic, France trails only Brazil, India, and the United States.
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Fully vaccinated travelers heading to England will no longer face strict testing requirements. The UK government will remove all testing mandates on fully vaccinated travelers as of February 11.
The Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps says travelers who are not vaccinated will be required to have a negative COVID test before boarding their flight. They will also be required to take a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival in England. All travelers will still be required to fill out a passenger locator form before their flight.
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Pfizer/BioNTech announced on Tuesday it has begun clinical trials on its Omicron-specific vaccine for adults. The clinical trials include about 1,400 people between the ages of 18 and 55 years old.
Senior Vice President and Head of Vaccine Research and Development Dr. Kathrin U. Jansen:
âWhile current research and real-world data show that boosters continue to provide a high level of protection against severe disease and hospitalization with Omicron, we recognize the need to be prepared in the event this protection wanes over time and to potentially help address Omicron and new variants in the future.â
Of the trial participants 615 will get the Omicron-specific vaccine as a booster on top of the two doses of the vaccine they already have. Another 600 will get the Omicron booster on top of three doses. The final group, who are unvaccinated, will get three doses, all of the variant specific vaccine.
Pfizer/BioNTech expects initial clinical trial results by the first half of this year.
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ABC News is also reporting that Moderna is expected to begin its own clinical trials of its Omicron specific vaccine âin coming days.â
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Statistics Canada says there were so many coronavirus deaths in 2020, it actually reduced the life expectancy of Canadians. The agency says preliminary data shows a drop in life expectancy from 82.3 years old to 81.7. That is the largest drop since data began being recorded in 1921. The decline was greater for men, who saw life expectancy drop by more than eight months, than for women, who saw a decline of nearly five months.
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Canada reported 13,864 COVID infections on Monday while losing another 189 lives to the coronavirus. Just a reminder the infection numbers are very underreported due to an array of testing issues across the provinces.
The national positivity percentage over the last seven days is 19.1%.
The Canadian vaccination campaign has so far administered 31,757,400 1st vaccine doses (83.06% of the total population) while 29,876,732 people (78.14%) have two doses, and of those, 14,551,929 people are fully vaccinated with three shots.
Ontario saw hospitalizations (4,008) jump (+147) while ICU numbers (626) also increased (+11). The province lost another 64 lives to the coronavirus on Tuesday. It has a positivity percentage of 17.05%
Quebec has a positivity percentage of 13.04%. Hospitalizations (3,278) are down (-21) while ICU numbers (263) are unchanged. The province is preparing to ease some restrictions including reopening restaurants and movie theaters.
Nova Scotia suffered five more deaths while hospitalizations (92) treaded water and ICU numbers (15) inched upward (+1). The province has a positivity percentage of 15.5%
In Newfoundland and Labrador, COVID hospitalizations (20) crept down (-1) while ICU numbers (5) are unchanged day to day. The province has a positivity percentage of 16.8%.
Hospitals in New Brunswick are either at capacity or fast approaching it. There are 138 people in hospital with 11 in an ICU. The province also saw three more deaths.
Manitoba set a new record high for hospitalizations (729) after numbers rose on Tuesday (+13) while those in intensive care (49) were unchanged. Another six people died in the province. It has a positivity percentage of 32.9%
Saskatchewan saw hospitalizations (291) shoot upward (+29) while ICU numbers (33) remained static. The province had two more pandemic deaths. Its positivity percentage is 33%.
Alberta set a new record high for hospitalizations (1,377) an increase of 30% in a week, while ICU numbers (111) are unchanged. The province saw another 13 pandemic deaths. Its positivity percentage is 42.8%.
In B.C. hospitalizations (985) inched down (-2) but ICU numbers (144) increased (+15). The province had one more COVID death. Its positivity percentage is 15.97%.