The Evening Report - March 4th
COVID variant infections spread across Europe
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Denmark’s Statsminister Mette Frederiksen, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurt announced this afternoon that the three countries will establish a joint research and development fund on the development and production of vaccines.
Netanyahu says “together we are starting something here that I think will galvanize the world.”
While Frederiksen called it an “important step” saying the COVID pandemic has taught us “we cannot be caught off guard again.”
No details of the agreement, such as how much each country will invest, were revealed.
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Denmark is reporting 520 COVID infections and four more coronavirus deaths in the last day. With 154,698 tests yesterday that equals a positivity percentage of 0.34%.
COVID hospitalizations (217) are down (-8) ICU numbers (30) also dipped (-4) Ventilator numbers (18) inched down (-1).
On the vaccination campaign to date, 479,252 1st dose vaccinations (8.2% of population) have been administered while 188,169 people (3.2% of population) are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
In the last 24 hours, 13,971 total vaccinations have been administered.
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Denmark is stepping up efforts even further to get seniors facing mobility challenges a COVID vaccine.
Yesterday, staffing was increased on telephone hotlines to reach out to those over 65 receiving home care and all seniors over 85, to proactively book them an vaccination appointment and, if needed, transport them to a vaccination center. Today, the National Health Board has stated that seniors in that group who are bedridden or who have severe mobility issues can now be vaccinated in their own homes.
Beginning Friday, kommunes, working with family doctors, will identify who meets the need to be vaccinated at home and then put a vaccination schedule in place.
The Sjælland Health Region has already identified 800 people that meet the criteria and on Friday will vaccinate the first 100 people in their own homes.
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The Staten Serum Institut says that 91.8% of all nursing home residents have been vaccinated nationwide. In Metro Copenhagen the number is 93%.
Region Hovedstaden (Metro Copenhagen Health Authority) says it just finished a third vaccination round and is now planning a fourth. They will be focusing on seniors and nursing home staff who were unable to be vaccinated earlier due to previous infection.
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The Danish Agency for Patient Safety says no new cases of the South African variant have been found as mass tests are carried out in Copenhagen’s Northwest district.
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The Danish Cancer Society has found a lot of room for improvement on communicating to at risk cancer patients when they might get vaccinated against COVID.
The agency surveyed 202 cancer patients receiving treatment, who are among most vulnerable, and found many had either heard nothing about when they might get vaccinated or that the information they were getting was confusing.
The society’s Managing Director Jesper Fisker says clearer communication from the National Health Board is desperately needed.
“The authorities' optimistic communication style is incomprehensible to many, and it puts extra pressure on vulnerable patient groups who need clear answers about where they stand, especially now that society is once again reopening”
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The Danish Medicines Agency, charged with monitoring and reporting on vaccine side effects, is preparing for a big increase in vaccinations. It has made its web service, where physicians can report vaccine side effects, more broadly accessible across the different medical practice systems. The LMST says the new method is much easier to use and should cut in half the time it takes for a doctor to file a side effects report.
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Sweden has added 4,838 infections and another 13 corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
To date, 568,031 1st dose vaccinations (6.9% of population) have been administered while 285,178 people (3.5% of population) are now fully vaccinated.
The Swedish Public Health Agency has changed its recommendation in regards to administering the AstraZeneca vaccine to seniors. It had initially ruled out using the vaccine for anyone over the age of 65 but, based on new studies out of the U.K., it says the vaccine can once again be given to seniors. The studies say the AstraZeneca vaccine provides good protection against the coronavirus for those over the age of 80.
Both Germany and France have followed suit.
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The COVID situation in Finland is getting worse.
It has registered 758 infections and five more virus deaths since yesterday’s update.
Total infections on March 1st now equal 830, a record high.
COVID hospitalizations (206) are down (-15). ICU numbers (39) are up (+2).
On the vaccination front, 425,314 1st vaccination doses (7.6% of population) have been administered, while 83,559 people (1.5% of population) are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
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Norway has added 632 infections and no new corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (112) are up (+7). Ventilator numbers (18) are down (-4).
On the vaccination front, to date there have been 361,565 1st vaccination doses (6.74% of population) while 183,104 people (3.41% of population) are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
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French Prime Minister Jean Castex said today that the U.K. variant is responsible for more than 60% of new COVID infections. He says it is clear the rate of infections is accelerating. Castex also warned strain is mounting on the French health care system.
Weekend lockdown will be levied on Pas-de-Calais, after a similar approach in Nice and Dunkirk. Hautes-Alpes, Aisne and Aube have been upgraded to ‘high risk.’
Today it was announced that France is aiming to have at least 10 million people vaccinated by mid-April, 20 million by mid-May, and a total of 30 million by the summer.
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COVID numbers continued to rise again in Italy today with 22,865 new infections and 339 virus deaths.
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The United Kingdom has recorded 6,573 new infections and 242 deaths today.
The rate of positive tests, fatalities, and hospitalizations continue to fall.
To date, 20,982,571 1st dose vaccinations have been administered, while 963,862 people are fully vaccinated against the virus.
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In Canada yesterday, there were 2,812 new infections and 60 corona deaths. Numbers remain more or less static at the bottom of the trough between infection waves.
On the vaccination front to date 1,586,009 1st dose (4.17% of population) vaccinations have been administered while 556,553 people are now fully vaccinated.
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According to Ontario’s Health Minister Christine Elliott, “Ontario is reporting 994 cases of COVID19 and over 65,600 tests completed. Locally, there are 298 new cases in Toronto, 171 in Peel and 64 in York Region. As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 784,828 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.”
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Quebec reported 707 new infections today and 20 more deaths. There are 626 people in hospital (+8) and 115 in an ICU (-5).
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In Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador reported three new infections. Prince Edward Island had one. New Brunswick reported three.
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Nova Scotia also had three new infections. The province has announced it is going full tilt on 1st vaccination doses. It is scrapping plans to set aside doses for 2nd vaccinations in favor of getting everyone in the province a first dose by the end of June.
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Manitoba reported 51 new cases and three new deaths yesterday.
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There were 121 infections and two more corona fatalities in Saskatchewan. 91% of the province’s long term care residents have now received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine.
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Alberta registered 402 infections and suffered another 12 virus deaths yesterday. The province is reporting the first variant related outbreak in a long term care home.
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Seven more people have died and another 542 infections were reported in B.C. yesterday. The province announced it will now space out 1st and 2nd vaccine doses by four months.