The Evening Report - Nov 23
Denmark continues to see an alarming number of infections among children
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Health Minister Magnus Heunicke says for a fourth straight week the COVID contact number (reinfection rate or R0) remains at 1.1. Heunicke says this indicates the epidemic is seeing “continued growth.” He stresses the importance of vaccination, adding “we continue our vaccination efforts and efforts to increase vaccination.”
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Denmark continues to battle its worst infection wave yet as new infections jumped over 4,000 again on Monday. It reported 4,199 COVID infections and four more coronavirus deaths in the last day.
Yesterday there were 318,754 total corona tests done, of which 164,596 were PCR tests equaling a positivity percentage of 2.55%.
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Infections continue to mount among children six to eleven years old as the number of COVID cases in that age group in the last seven days has breached the 6,000 mark. All other age groups 19 and under are seeing rising numbers of coronavirus cases.
Hospitalizations among young people remain low, with 39 total hospital admissions in the last seven days including a concerning 23 infants two years old and under.
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There are now 56 of Denmark’s 98 Danish kommunes that have a COVID incidence rate of 400 or higher per 100,000 residents. The coronavirus incidence rate is trending upward in 77 municipalities including in Samsø, which is the only Kommune in Denmark with an incident rate under 100.
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COVID hospitalizations (444) continue to increase (+6) while the number of infected in an ICU (49) inched down (-1) and of those the number on a ventilator (22) edged upward (+2). These are hospitalization numbers not seen since January.
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On the vaccination front, there were 32,194 total vaccinations on Monday, of which the lion’s share (28,034) were booster doses. 2,726 people began their vaccination process yesterday, which is positive.
So far, 77.4% of the total population have had one dose, 75.6% have had two, and 10.7% have had a booster dose.
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Denmark isn’t just ramping its COVID testing capacity back-up it is also now expanding its vaccination infrastructure again. The Sundhedministeriet says within two weeks it expects 300,000 vaccinations to be administered each week. Efforts must be going well because the health ministry says it expects the regions to reach the weekly inoculation goal by next week.
Health Minister Magnus Heunicke:
“We are upscaling the vaccination capacity so that we can soon vaccinate 300,000 Danes a week. Effective vaccination and revaccination is the most important tool in our epidemic efforts right now, and we know that the vaccine protects against infection and serious cases of COVID. The regions have stated that they are now upgrading their vaccination capacity, and this means that Danes can get their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd doses much faster.”
According to the ministry 123,517 booster doses were administered last week. The same week that 450,000 invitations to book an appointment for a booster dose went out.
So far, 95.8% of all nursing home residents have had a 3rd dose. That number is 83.4% among those who are immunocompromised. For those 85 years and older 79.9% have had a booster shot.
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Region Midtjylland celebrated a vaccination milestone this week. As of Tuesday 90% of everyone eligible to be vaccinated has had either one or both vaccine doses. The region says this is an important goal to reach. However, one group is still lagging behind, young people.
Chief Physician Bent Windelborg Nielsen:
“It worries me, because when you look around, it is also young people who are being seriously affected right now.”
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A stampede to testing sites as the healthcare regions work to increase capacity and hire more staff has resulted in increased pressure on the testing system. Region Sjælland is the latest to report it is struggling to keep up.
Local Health Service Unit Manager Anne Hjortshøj spoke to DR:
“We have experienced a sharp increase in testing demand in recent weeks, so there are waiting times. We are not happy about that, so we are working to solve it.”
At several testing sites in the region, people have to wait up to seven days to get a testing appointment.
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Aalborg Kommune would like to introduce a coronapas system for employees in seniors care and social housing.
Head of Elderly and Health in Aalborg Municipality Carsten Møller Beck spoke to DR and said they are now working with employee groups to see if this is something that can be done.
“It makes good sense. We have an increasing infection right now, and we need to ensure the safest work environment for both our citizens and our employees.”
If implemented the system would be built around doing random checks of an employee’s coronapas rather than checking each worker as they come through the door.
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Sweden has added 3,825 infections and another 16 corona deaths since its last update on Friday.
To date, 7,298,795 1st vaccine doses (85.5% of population 16 years old and older) and 7,005,848 2nd doses (82%) have been administered.
Vaccination data for 12 to 15 year olds and the number of booster shots done so far have not been updated by the Swedish Public Health Agency.
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The Swedish Public Health Agency has tabled its proposal on infection control requirements for gatherings of 100 or more people with and without a vaccine passport system.
Whether an event requires a vaccine passport or not, every event organizer must take basic infection control measures. This includes, among other things, having hand washing stations and plenty of hand sanitizer around.
Indoor events with 100 or more attendees without a vaccine passport
Attendees must have a designated seat.
Groups within the even cannot number more than eight people with a social bubble of one meter around each group.
Events using a vaccine passport
Event organizer must have a written plan on how vaccine certificates will be checked and the plan must be followed.
Director General Karin Tegmark Wisell:
“The purpose is to limit the infection risks that large gatherings entail. This means reducing the risk of infection spread and the subsequent burden on the healthcare system. Either by using vaccination certificates, or by making it possible for the public, visitors, and participants to keep their distance where vaccination certificates are not used.”
The public health agency also wants everyone from trade fair organizers to shopping malls and all leisure and cultural activities in between to ensure basic infections control measures. This means limiting crowds and congestion as much as possible, including staggering customers arrival times, having separate entrances and exits, and avoiding line-ups.
Sweden will implement a coronapas system on December 1.
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Norway has added 1,516 infections and had no new corona deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (235) are up (+6) while the number of infected people in an ICU (59) also crept up (+2) of those the number on a ventilator (34) is unchanged.
To date, 78.45% of Norwegians 12 years old and older have had one vaccine dose and 70.42% have had both.
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The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is bringing back the coronapas, but so far just in specific municipalities where infection activity is so high restrictions must be reimposed. The NIPH says for now only the EU COVID digital certificate can be used as the domestic Norwegian system was taken out of service when the country shed all of its coronavirus restrictions back in September.
The institute says it is working on short and long term solutions to restore domestic coronapas systems. Norway kept the EU COVID digital certificate in order to allow its citizens to travel within the European Union.
Of the municipalities having to enact local infection control measures so far, only Tromsø has indicated it will reinstate the vaccine passport requirements.
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Finland continues to struggle with its fifth infection wave as it registered 1,088 infections and five more virus deaths since yesterday’s update.
COVID hospitalizations (322) are unchanged day to day.
So far, 76% of the total population have had one vaccine dose, 71.3% have had two, and 3.3% have had a booster dose.
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COVID restrictions are being tightened in Metro Helsinki. On Tuesday afternoon, the use of face masks was again recommended effective immediately by the Helsinki Metropolitan Coronavirus Coordination group. People in Metro Helsinki are to wear a face mask in all public spaces regardless of vaccination status. Masks are also required indoors, on public transit, and even inside vehicles if there are other people in the car. Students from grade six and up will also have to mask up across the city.
The HMCC is also encouraging people in Helsinki to work from home where ever possible.
Finland’s fifth infection wave, and its most severe yet, has also prompted the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District to postpone all non-COVID related surgeries and procedures in order to ensure space in intensive care units as coronavirus patients once again flood in.
The Finnish government largely handed responsibility for COVID restrictions to the different regions several months ago. Now, with infection numbers soaring many of those regions and the mayors of cities within them are calling for the federal government to step up and require all bars and restaurants to reimpose a vaccine passport mandate.
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Germany’s Health Minister described bluntly how his country will be reaching herd immunity at a news conference on Monday.
Jens Spahn said Germany will reach herd immunity by the end of the winter one way or another.
“Just about everyone in Germany will probably be either vaccinated, recovered or dead. Immunity will be reached. The question is whether it’s via vaccination or infection, and we explicitly recommend the path via vaccination.”
Chancellor Angela Merkel also warned that German hospitals could soon be overwhelmed if the country’s infection wave isn’t brought under control, and soon. Merkel described the pandemic situation as “highly dramatic” and as the most severe infection wave that Germany has experienced so far.
There are signs that mounting infection and hospitalization numbers, along with the urging of authorities to get vaccinated, is having an effect. Overall daily vaccination numbers have increased in Germany, as this tweet seems to indicate.
The European Medicines Agency will soon render a verdict on Pfizer/BioNTech’s application to extend the use of its COVID vaccine to children aged five to 11. Jens Spahn says he is looking forward to getting children protected against the coronavirus but added pediatric vaccine doses from Pfizer aren’t scheduled to be delivered to EU countries until December 20.
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The Netherlands latest infection wave is swamping hospitals with COVID patients to such an extent that some patients are being evacuated to hospitals in nearby countries. According to Reuters, two patients have been sent to Germany. Dutch hospitals are also now reducing cancer treatments and postponing heart surgeries to focus increasingly scarce resources on treating COVID patients.
On Tuesday, the Netherlands reported 22,956 new cases and 53 new deaths.
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The European Union Commission using EU-wide data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, published a graph underlying the importance and impact of being vaccinated in contrast to coronavirus deaths into one stark and devastating graph.
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As of November 30, fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents can leave and then reenter the country on trips of 72 hours or less without needing a negative PCR test. Travelers must be able to prove vaccination status and that their trip was no more than 72 hours. Also included in the exemption are children younger than 12 and people who have a medical reason for not being vaccinated.
Canada is also doing away with being able to travel on a negative COVID test and as of the end of the month, being fully vaccinated will be a requirement for all travel within and out of the country. There will be exemptions for the small number of people who have medical reasons for not being vaccinated.
Also, as of November 30, Canada is adding to its list of approved vaccines that it will consider a person to be fully vaccinated with. Currently, that list includes Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. As of November 30, it will add Sinopharm, Sinovac, and COVAXIN. This syncs Canada up with the World Health Organization’s emergency use listing of vaccines.
On January 5, Canada will allow more travelers to enter the country if they are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine.
People travelling to reunite with family (unvaccinated children under 18 years old are exempt from the vaccination requirement if they are reuniting with Canadian family).
International students who are 18 years old and older.
Professional and amateur athletes.
People holding a valid work permit, including temporary foreign workers.
Essential service providers, including truck drivers.
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Canada reported 2,315 COVID infections yesterday while losing another 23 lives to the coronavirus.
To date, the Canadian vaccination campaign has administered 30,072,575 1st vaccine doses (78.65% of the total population) while 28,860,795 people (75.48%) are fully vaccinated. 770,928 people have had a booster shot so far.
In Ontario Tuesday there were 613 new infections, of which 318 were either unvaccinated or had a single dose. 24.5% of the province’s population is not fully vaccinated. There are 282 people in hospital and 216 of them have either one vaccine dose or none at all. Of the 134 in an ICU, that number is 118.
Quebec reported 699 more infections on Tuesday and five more corona fatalities.
In Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick recorded 62 new corona cases. Nova Scotia had 29. Newfoundland and Labrador had three.
Manitoba saw 129 new COVID cases today and four more deaths.
There were 73 infections and one more death in Saskatchewan yesterday.
On Monday, Alberta logged 1,125 new infections over a three day period covering the weekend. There were also six more corona deaths, all of which were people who were unvaccinated. There are 365 people in hospital, of which 70.9% are unvaccinated or who have just one dose. Of the additional 98 in an ICU, that number is 87%.
B.C. registered 1,052 infections and 10 more deaths over the weekend. There are 337 people in hospital and 115 in an ICU. Of those in intensive care, 80% are not fully vaccinated.