The Evening Report - March 18th
AstraZeneca investigation results revealed
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The European Medicines Agency has released its findings in its investigation into a possible link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and cases of severe blood clotting, some of them fatal.
EMA Executive Director Emer Cooke stated the investigation “concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thrombosis or blood clots.” She further emphasized that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective, adding they continue to recommend its use because its benefits outweigh any risks.
However, Cooke did add that “based on the evidence available and after days of in-depth analysis of lab results, clinical reports, autopsy reports, and further information from the clinical trials, we still cannot rule out definitively a link between these cases and the vaccine.”
Cooke says the EMA has recommended that information about the possible risks be included in the AstraZeneca product information and that this information be communicated to people being vaccinated so they are informed about the risk and symptoms to be vigilant for including:
breathlessness
pain in the chest or stomach
swelling or coldness in an arm or keg
severe or worsening headache or blurred vision after vaccination
persistent bleeding
multiple small bruise, reddish or purplish spots, or blood blisters under the skin
The EMA will continue to monitor and investigate the situation.
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Despite EMA recommendations, both Denmark and Norway continue to suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine pending results of their own investigations. An update from both countries will be announced next week.
Italy, however, has announced it will restart vaccinating with AstraZeneca on Friday.
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The Danish Agency for Patient Safety says all school and daycares have been closed in the districts of Jerne, Grundtvig, and Kvaglund due to infection rates in Esbjerg municipality in West Jutland. Esbjerg Gymnasium is also temporarily closed “to prevent the spread of infection.” Esbjerg is one of five kommunes that are COVID red zones right now.
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The Danish National Board of Health (Sundhedsstyrelsen) says visiting restrictions for all seniors care homes, assisted living facilities, hospices, and other social facilities can be lifted if 80% of residents are fully vaccinated.
Unit Manager Bolette Søborg says this is a big day for many seniors who have not been able to see their families during the pandemic.
“There is no doubt that it will be of great importance to them that they can now meet with their family and friends again. They no longer have to worry about getting seriously ill or hospitalized. A hug and being close with your loved ones can make a huge difference to how they feel.”
Staff who work in these facilities will no longer be required to undergo twice a week mandated COVID testing.
Sundhedsstyrelsen says this will be the pattern going forward in the health and social sectors. Important meetings and conferences will be able to be conducted almost as normal if 80% of attendees are vaccinated. Things like one meter social distancing would still apply.
It added that fully vaccinated people can also return to work “as usual” as long as their work does not involve a majority of time being around or treating people who have COVID.
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The Staten Serum Institut will now only count a new infection if it is a positive test result from a COVID PCR test, and not from a rapid test. Anyone testing positive on a rapid test is encouraged to get a PCR test as an additional screen. The Institut is trying to eliminate the double counting of positive tests and false positives in its daily reporting. It will continue to track and report rapid tests administered.
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Denmark is reporting 786 COVID infections, the 3rd straight day over 700. One coronavirus death was reported in the last day.
Yesterday a total of 304,412 corona tests were done (182,071 PCR and 122,341 rapid tests) for a positivity percentage of 0.26%.
COVID hospitalizations (195) dipped slightly (-1), ICU numbers (38) also declined (-3), and those on a ventilator (22) also dropped (-3).
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On the vaccination front to date, 606,376 1st dose vaccinations (10.4% of the population) have been administered and 286,878 people (4.9%) are now fully vaccinated.
Yesterday a total of 19,360 vaccinations were administered.
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Sweden has added 6,467 infections and another eight virus deaths since yesterday’s update.
To date 883,561 1st dose (10.8% of the population) and 371,803 2nd dose (4.5%) vaccinations have been administered.
On the heels of the Danish study which found that the vast majority of people who have recovered from the virus maintain a high level of immunity, the Swedish Infectious Disease Association is calling for anyone who has tested positive in the last six months to move to the back of the vaccination line. It is lobbying the Swedish Public Health Agency to make the change.
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Finland has registered 804 infections and one more corona death since yesterday’s update. Updated infection numbers now show March 15th had the 2nd highest number of new infections of any day yet with 853.
COVID hospitalizations (225) have crept up (+3) ICU numbers (50) are down (-6).
To date, 671,647 1st dose (12.1%) and 87,133 2nd dose (1.6%) vaccinations have been administered.
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Infection data from Finland’s Institute for Health and Welfare shows a 250% increase in COVID infections among children under the age of 10 over the past four weeks. All other age groups under the age of 80 saw the percentage increase to around 80%. The over 80 population saw much less infection activity, likely a result of vaccinations.
It is unclear what is driving such an infection surge among young children but Head of Infectious Diseases Asko Järvinen strongly suspects the U.K. variant.
“Before we got the UK variant, about half of the members of a family became infected. Now it seems that the majority of them are getting sick.”
The Finnish health agency numbers seem to show parents are getting infected and then infecting their kids.
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Norway has added 1,041 infections and had no new corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (235) are up (+8), ICU numbers (59) also crept up (+2), while the number of people on a ventilator (44) jumped up (+10).
On the vaccination front to date, 475,794 1st dose (8.83% of the population) vaccinations have been administered, while 259,996 people (4.82%) are now fully vaccinated.
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Norway’s Institute of Public Health has looked at infection rates among working age adults to try and determine which industries at highest risk of infection. The agency says infections rates were highest among café and fast food employees, bartenders, waiters,and taxi, bus, and tram drivers.
The figures also show kindergarten, primary, and after school care teachers also have a high infection rate. The NIPH says this was especially true for teachers in Oslo. Oddly, teachers in secondary, upper secondary, college, and university all saw reduced infection activity.
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COVID infections are rising in France with over 38,000 yesterday and another 34,998 infections reported today. These are daily infection numbers not seen in France since November.
Paris and several other French regions will go into a month long lockdown, announced by the French Prime Minister moments ago. The lockdown will begin at midnight Friday.
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Poland is seeing its infection curve rising sharply with 25,000 infections yesterday and another 27,278 already reported today.
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The situation in Greece is getting worse. It saw a record 3,458 infections yesterday and they have already added another 3,070 today. Greece hasn’t seen consecutive days over 3,000 since November.
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Estonia continues to be a European COVID hot spot with 1,748 infections yesterday. Today, it added another 1,700.
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In Canada yesterday there were 3,374 new infections and 36 more corona deaths.
On the vaccination effort in Canada to date, 2,811,520 1st vaccine doses (7.4% of the population) have been administered while 610,312 people are now fully vaccinated.
The number of variant infections continues to rise with another 169 U.K. variant infections in the last 24 hours pushing the total number to date up to 3,946. There were no new Brazilian P1 infections to report, which is good.
The United States will send 1.5 million doses from its stockpile of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Canada to help on the vaccination effort.
The Prime Minister announced today that the U.S/Canada border will remain closed until at least April 21st.
Today, Ontario’sHealth Minister Christine Elliott tweeted, “Ontario is reporting 1,553 cases of COVID19 and nearly 58,600 tests completed. Locally, there are 404 new cases in Toronto, 294 in Peel and 176 in York Region. As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 1,359,453 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.” There were 15 deaths.
Quebec registered 702 infections and seven more deaths today. There are 519 people in hospital with 101 in an ICU.
In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia reported three infections. Newfoundland and Labrador had one. New Brunswick has not reported yet. The Atlantic bubble will be reactivated on April 19th.
There were 96 infections and no new deaths in Manitoba yesterday.
Saskatchewan had 87 infections and one death.
Yesterday, Alberta logged 479 infections. It is now second only to Ontario in the number of variant infections.
B.C. reported 498 infections and four more virus deaths yesterday. A data problem prevented an update on the variant front.
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In South America, Brazil is barreling towards catastrophe as it recorded 90,830 new infections, its highest ever and first time ever over 90,000, while seeing another 2,736 virus deaths, its 2nd highest number of fatalities to date.
