The Evening Report - June 21st
Canada makes allowances for some fully vaccinated travelers
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According to Ritzau, at least one virology professor in Denmark is hopeful the pandemic situation may be nearing an end. Allan Randrup Thomsen, professor of experimental virology at the University of Copenhagen, says the infection curve decline has been steady enough and enduring, over a long enough period that “it looks promising.” He says this is a reflection of very high rates of vaccinations in Denmark.
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Denmark has reported 149 new infections and one more coronavirus death in the last day. That is the lowest number of daily new infections since last September.
Yesterday there were 298,491 total corona tests done, 56,270 PCR and 242,221 rapid, for a (PCR only) positivity percentage of 0.26%.
COVID hospitalizations (82) have edged upward (+2) while the number of #coronavirus infected people in an ICU (17) has inched down (-2) and of those the number on a ventilator (14) has also declined slightly (-1).
On the vaccination front to date, 3,010,813 1st dose vaccinations (51.5% of the population) have been administered while 1,641,094 people (28.1%) are now fully vaccinated.
Yesterday there were just 17,115 total vaccinations done.
The alternate vaccination scheme in Denmark looks to have run out of steam. It was set up to allow access to the shelved AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines through a private provider, Practio. Initially, there was tremendous interest, which seems to have vanished. As you can see in the graph below from Danske Bank Chief Analyst Mikael Olai Milhøj inoculation rates through the scheme have dropped like a rock with just 363 administrations yesterday.
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The Danish coronapas was updated over the weekend to make it easier to ensure its validity when checked. The most noticeable change is a multicolored clock underneath the QR code on the front of the coronapas. The digital clock is to make it easier to check to see the coronapas is legit and not a screenshot, manipulated or otherwise. The switch between the Danish and the international display in the app has also been made clearer, as well as some other tweaks and adjustments. The next big update will come when the EU digital COVID certificate goes into force on July 1.
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Major non-COVID news in Sweden today as Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has lost a non-confidence vote today. This is the first time this has ever happened in Sweden. At a press conference after the historic vote, Prime Minister Löfven said he would have to talk with the other parties in his governing coalition about whether to call an extra election or dissolve the government. He has one week to decide.
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Region Stockholm says it has passed a vaccination milestone as the number of first doses administered has passed one million people in the capital region. To date, there have been 1,022,105 1st -dose vaccinations (54.7%) done in the region and 524,204 people (28%) are now fully vaccinated.
Stockholm Vaccine Coordinator Magnus Thyberg:
“We have passed many important milestones along the way, but that now over a million inhabitants have received a first dose feels extra special. With almost 55 percent vaccinated with a first dose, we have come a long way, but we are far from done. We continue to keep a high pace of vaccinations administered and our vaccine clinics are open all summer to offer the first and second dose. To reduce the risk of increased spread of infection in the autumn, it is important that as many people as possible are vaccinated when the opportunity is offered.”
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Norway has added 457 infections and had no new corona deaths since Friday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (38) are down (-1) the number of infected patients in an ICU (10) is also down (-2) ventilator numbers (7) are unchanged.
To date 40.40% of Norwegians have had one vaccine dose while 27.02% have had both.
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Changes to COVID restrictions governing travel into Norway came into force today. Only travelers from ‘green’ areas and countries can enter Norway without having a mandatory 10-day quarantine upon arrival. Also exempt are fully vaccinated travelers or those with a previous infections within the last six months. With few exceptions quarantine must be served at a government quarantine hotel.
All travelers from the UK must quarantine for at least three days out of concern over the Delta variant.
Currently, Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish digital COVID passports are accepted as verifiable by Norwegian border authorities. There will be a change on a Thursday June 24 to expand entry to other fully vaccinated travelers and those with prior infections elsewhere in EEA. This will likely be adjusted again when the EU digital COVID certificate goes into effect on July 1.
People who have had one vaccination dose and children under 18 can exit quarantine after three days with a negative test. Everyone else can exit quarantine with a negative test on day seven.
Travelers from the EU, European Economic Area, and the UK can visit Norway if they have families or partners living there. Relationships are defined as being two people who have met physically and been together for at least nine months.
Countries are deemed to be low-risk ‘green’ if they have a coronavirus incident rate if less than 25 per 100,000 residents.
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Finland has registered 45 infection in the last day as its infection curve nears rock bottom.
There are 29 people in hospital in the country with nine in an ICU.
To date 3,077,639 1st dose vaccinations (55.2% of the population) have been administered while 851,422 people (15.3%) are now fully vaccinated.
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Those 16 to 24 years old in Finland are, as of today, able to book vaccination appointments. Inoculations will begin within the next two weeks for children between 12 and 15 years of age who are considered at risk due to underlying health issues. They will be vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which is the only one approved for use among adolescents in Europe at the moment.
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The easing of COVID restrictions at the Finnish border announced last week came into force this morning. The relaxed restrictions make it easier for those who commute in or out of Finland and between the other EU and Schengen countries. People who are commuting must take a COVID test within 72 hours of entering the country. All other travel into Finland stays restricted to fully vaccinated people only.
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Finnish pharmaceuticals watchdog FIMEA says the number of vaccine-related cases of anaphylaxis has risen to 46 as of June 15. There have been almost four-million total vaccinations to date. The agency says it has received 1,531 reports of adverse reactions due to vaccination, but it notes almost all of them are the kinds of symptoms, like fever, headaches, fatigue, injection site pain, and other things one might expect when getting vaccinated.
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The Delta variant continues to cause concern in the UK as the rate of new infections, hospitalizations, and fatalities continues to trend upward. Today there were 10,633 new infections and five more virus deaths.
The good news is the infection curve is showing signs of possibly stalling out.
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The Trudeau government has announced changes easing rules for those who are fully vaccinated, but only if they are Canadian citizens or permanent residents. As of July 5 fully vaccinated Canadians, permanent residents, and “people currently eligible to travel to Canada will not need to quarantine on arrival. That means they can skip a stay in a quarantine hotel and they also don’t have to be tested on day eight. To be considered fully vaccinated, you have to have two shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, or a mix of any two, with the second dose no less than two weeks prior to arrival.
There is one potential fly in the ointment for families who are traveling. Children who cannot be vaccinated who are traveling with parents who are must still quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The kids will also be tested throughout the two week quarantine process. The children can skip the government quarantine hotel and isolate at a home instead.
Also important for fully vaccinated citizens and residents heading to Canada that it is mandatory that your vaccination status be uploaded to the ArriveCan app. Showing up at the border with a paper vaccination record will result in a fine. The amount of the fine has not yet been made public.
Even fully vaccinated citizens and residents must still provide a negative PCR coronavirus test no more than 72 hours old on arrival, be it by land or air.
If you are not a fully vaccinated Canadian, permanent resident or person currently eligible to travel to Canada, then nothing changes. Government hotel quarantine, 14-day quarantine, and testing regime all still stay in place.
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On Friday the Canadian government announced all existing restrictions at the Canada/US border would remain in place until at least July 21.
The news went over like a lead balloon for at least one American Representative.
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Canada reported 712 infections while suffering another 22 coronavirus deaths yesterday. Those numbers will be readjusted once B.C. reports today but even then it won’t change the trajectory of this plummeting infection curve.
On the vaccination front 25,087,388 1st dose vaccinations (65.89% of the population) have been administered to date while 7,083,467 people (18.60%) are now fully vaccinated.
In Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott tweeted “Ontario is reporting 270 cases of #COVID19 and over 13,800 tests completed. Locally, there are 47 new cases in Toronto, 44 in the Region of Waterloo, 42 in Peel, 22 in York Region, 12 in Ottawa and 12 in Niagara. As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 12,669,775 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 118,625 doses.” M
Quebec reported 90 new infections and no new deaths.
In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia had no new COVID cases. New Brunswick had two. Newfoundland and Labrador has yet to report.
Manitoba saw 93 new infections yesterday, its lowest daily number since April, while adding another six deaths.
There were 60 new infections in Saskatchewan yesterday along with one more death.
Alberta recorded 100 infections and another virus death yesterday.
B.C. doesn’t report on weekends and will table three days worth of COVID data later today.