The Evening Report - March 5th.
Denmark will not meet its June 27th deadline to get everyone vaccinated
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The deadline to get everyone fully vaccinated in Denmark is being pushed back by about a month.
Denmark’s National Board of Health (Sundhedsstyrelsen) is blaming vaccine supply chain issues for extending the vaccination timeline.
It says that while the European Union is likely to approve the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine next week, “the manufacturer does not expect to be able to deliver doses to Denmark until April.”
The good news is that Pfizer will deliver about 20,000 more vaccine doses per week than was previously expected.
According to the SST this means “with the adjusted vaccine calendar we now expect that everyone 16 years or older in Denmark will be offered vaccination no later than week 24 (the third week of June), and that everyone can be fully vaccinated approx. 4 weeks later.”
Today Sundhedsstyrelsen revised its recommendation for the AstraZeneca vaccine approving it for use for everyone over the age of 16 years old, including seniors over the age of 65. The Health Board says the change will mean faster vaccinations for target groups 7, 8, and 9. That covers people people between the ages of 65 and 84 years old.
By the end of week 10, it expects most people in target groups 1, 2, 3 and 5 to have their first vaccine dose. That would mean a large proportion of the most vulnerable people will be vaccinated.
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A study released this week by Denmark’s Staten Serum Institut has concluded that the U.K. variant has a much higher chance of resulting in hospitalization.
The study took advantage of Denmark’s world leading testing and genome sequencing abilities to track people infected with the British variant. They found a 64% higher chance of hospitalization when infected compared to the original coronavirus strain.
The report states this “may have serious public health impact in countries with spread of B.1.1.7.”
Note: The study is a preprint released in The Lancet and has not yet been peer reviewed.
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Denmark’s National Health Board says all schools and daycares in Ishøj will remain closed as infections are increasing. It says infections have increased by 19% in a week.
However, schools in Kolding can now reopen as infection numbers there have dropped by 32% this week. Schools for students in grades 0-4 and daycares can reopen as of Monday.
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Denmark is reporting 614 COVID infections and three more coronavirus deaths in the last day. This is just the 2nd time since January 29th daily infections have exceeded 600.
Yesterday 179,109 PCR corona tests and another 55,000 rapid tests were administered across Denmark that equals a positivity percentage of 0.34%.
COVID hospitalizations (215) inched down (-2) ICU numbers crept up (+1) and Ventilator numbers (21) are up (+3).
On the vaccination effort, 495,666 1st doses (8.5% of population) have been administered while 189,971 people (3.3% of population) are fully vaccinated.
In the last 24 hours 18,216 total vaccinations have been administered.
The National Board of Health says a majority of nursing home residents in Denmark have now received at least one vaccination dose.
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Sweden has added 4,831 infections and another 26 corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
Total to date COVID deaths in Sweden now exceed 13,000, over five times that of Denmark and over three times DK, Norway, and Finland combined.
On the vaccination front, to date 597,424 1st dose (7.3% of population) have been administered while 292,867 people (3.6% of population) are now fully vaccinated against the ncoronavirus.
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Finland has registered 704 infections and three more corona deaths.
COVID hospitalizations (201) are down (-5). ICU numbers (38) edged down (-1).
To date 448,438 1st vaccine dose (8.1% of population) and 84,139 2nd dose (1.5% of population) have been administered.
In a press conference today, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said her government will invoke four sections of the Emergency Powers Act. They include powers over communication and mandating operations at the country’s public and private hospitals.
“The coronavirus situation has deteriorated considerably in recent weeks, with more than 700 infections diagnosed today. We are in a fight against the virus, which is spreading ever more quickly. This fight is winnable, but requires responsible action from everyone."
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Norway has added 752 infections and had no new virus deaths.
COVID hospitalizations (119) are up (+7). Ventilator numbers (19) inched up (+1).
To date 377,566 1st dose (7.03% of population) and 200,675 2nd dose (3.74% of population) have been administered.
Today restrictions were tightened in the Norwegian regions of Færder, Holmestrand, Horten, Larvik, Sandefjord, and Tønsberg
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In Italy, COVID numbers are continuing a steady upward. Today it reported 24,036 new infections and 297 coronavirus deaths.
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In the hard hit Czech Republic, infection numbers remain much too high. It registered 14,554 new infections and 90 virus deaths today.
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With 6,369 new infections and 143 virus deaths, the numbers in Hungary continue to charge upward.
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Poland continues to see its infection numbers steadily climb as it saw 15,829 new infections and 263 COVID deaths today.
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The United Kingdom has not yet reported today.
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Canada reported 2,832 new infections and another 47 corona deaths yesterday. Daily infection declines remain stalled at the bottom of the trough between infection waves.
On the vaccination effort to date, 1,610,535 1st vaccines doses (4.24% of pop) have been administered while 558,882 people are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Today Health Canada approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for use. Canada has ordered 10 million vaccine doses with an option for 28 million more. A delivery schedule is still being worked out.
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According to Ontario’s Health Minister Christine Elliott, “Ontario is reporting 1,250 cases of COVID19 and over 64,700 tests completed. Locally, there are 337 new cases in Toronto, 167 in Peel and 129 in York Region. As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 820,714 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.” There were another 22 deaths.
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Quebec reported 798 new infections today and 10 more deaths. Hospitalizations stand at 617 with 111 in an ICU.
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In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia reported two new infections. New Brunswick had four. Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island have not reported yet.
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Yesterday, there were 51 infections and two deaths in Manitoba.
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Saskatchewan logged 169 infections and two deaths on Thursday.
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Alberta recorded 331 infections and suffered another nine corona deaths yesterday.
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Yesterday, B.C. reported 564 new infections and four more deaths. The number of variant infections also continues to rise.