COVID-19 News And Updates

Gladys Berejiklian says higher vaccination rates the ‘only way to live with Delta’ as Queensland cluster grows to 18 on first day of snap lockdown Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; Qld Covid hotspots ; Qld restrictions How do you convince someone to get vaccinated? Australian Covid survivors speak out Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Gladys Berejiklian has said New South Wales plans to break vaccination records this month in an effort to control Covid-19, as the state recorded 239 new cases – the equal-highest daily figure in the current Delta outbreak. The NSW premier on Sunday said higher vaccination rates were the “only way to live with Delta or any other horrific strain that comes along” and urged people in NSW to make August their month to come out and get vaccinated. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Digital giant issues strike after channel posted videos denying the existence of Covid and encouraging people to use discredited medication Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Sky News Australia has been banned from uploading content to YouTube for seven days after violating its medical misinformation policies by posting numerous videos which denied the existence of Covid-19 or encouraged people to use hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin. The ban was imposed by the digital giant on Thursday afternoon, the day after the Daily Telegraph ended Alan Jones’s regular column amid controversy about his Covid-19 commentary which included calling the New South Wales chief health officer Kerry Chant a village idiot on his Sky News program. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The firms are already taking the lion’s share of earnings from the market, as this week’s results will show Praised for preventing hundreds of thousands of deaths and allowing a return to more normal life, Covid vaccines will also substantially benefit some pharmaceutical companies. In June, analysts estimated the global market for the vaccines could be worth $70bn (£50bn) this year, but the figure could be even higher as the Delta variant of coronavirus spreads and scientists debate whether people will need booster shots. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Queensland authorities expect case numbers and exposure sites to grow today as three million across the state begin their first full day in lockdown. Follow all the day’s news NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing 11.51pm BST A Sydney man has raised concerns about the Australian Immunisation Register after he was falsely recorded as having been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 — before he had received his first jab. Christopher Knaus reports: When Sydney bus driver Ke Hua turned up to Royal Prince Alfred hospital last week for his Covid-19 vaccination, he was given some surprising news. The nurses told him he was already fully vaccinated. Related: Sydney man told he was fully vaccinated – despite not receiving a single Covid jab 11.46pm BST Victoria has recorded four new locally-acquired cases of Covid-19. All four are linked to current outbreaks and have been in quaran...

Officer morale sinks in the 43 forces as attacks rise by 20% during the Covid crisis A major increase in attacks on police has been recorded during the pandemic, according to official figures revealing that there were more than 100 assaults on officers in England and Wales every day. With senior police figures warning that officers have faced deliberate spitting and coughing since the start of the crisis , it has emerged that there were 36,969 assaults on police in the year that followed the outbreak in March 2020. It represented a 20% rise on the previous year Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

200,000 take to the streets to oppose proof-of-vaccination for hospitals, trains, and cultural and leisure centres Thousands of people have protested in Paris and other French cities over a mandatory coronavirus health pass for entry to many public venues, introduced by the government as it battles a fourth wave of infections. Protesters injured three police officers in Paris, a police spokesperson said. The interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said on Twitter that 19 demonstrators were arrested, including 10 in Paris. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Health authorities say the mix-up was due to a data entry error, raising fears of problems with national immunisation registry Australia’s vaccine rollout tracker Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing When Sydney bus driver Ke Hua turned up to Royal Prince Alfred hospital last week for his Covid-19 vaccination, he was given some surprising news. The nurses told him he was already fully vaccinated. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

After ten years of writing about capitalism I saw that the erasure of women is not only palpable, it’s bound to my own flesh and blood … is the economics profession a functionary and tool of patriarchy – or is patriarchy a functionary and tool of economics? – Marilyn Waring Economically, the rupture of 2020 showed us two things: that our lives depend on care work, especially the unpaid care work still mostly done by women; and that another way is possible. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Disease will circulate alongside flu and other seasonal viruses and become part of accepted winter illness Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Britain faces the prospect of thousands of annual Covid deaths for years to come, scientists have warned. They say waves of cases are likely to sweep the country every winter as Covid-19 joins other seasonal viruses, including influenza , in taking its toll of elderly and infirm people. Every year, as cold weather forces people indoors, virus transmission will increase, case numbers will rise, and some of these will result in deaths. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Report after report is reaching the same conclusion: exporters, including many in the red wall, will be suffering for a long time Brexit is beginning to take its toll. Trade with the EU is suffering and foreign investment is heading south. Neither trend is temporary and both harm the government’s stated aim of “levelling up” regions that until now have depended on overseas trade to create well-paid jobs. It’s not clear if the red wall has noticed. Or anyone among the 17.4 million people who voted for Brexit. So far, all the in-depth polling shows there is little movement on the vexed question of EU membership . Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Department for Education says it encourages take-up of Covid jabs but has no plans for passport system Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage There are no plans to bring in vaccine passports for university students in England, the Department for Education has said, as a row continues over their use. In interviews this week ministers – including the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab – had not ruled out using them, with students set to return to campuses in September. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Officials say some coverage over Delta variant has been misleading and focus should be on encouraging people to accept vaccines Mask wars: CDC guidance renews tensions across US Even as the White House highlighted what it considers alarmism in reporting of the surge in cases of the Delta coronavirus variant across the US, reports in the same national media suggested vaccinations are increasing in hotspot areas. Related: Eviction crisis looms after Biden and Congress fail to extend Covid ban Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The CDC has advised people to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status, prompting a political fight in several US states Eviction crisis after Biden and Congress fail to extend ban On Wednesday, Georgia governor Brian Kemp used his official Twitter account to say his state “will not lock down or impose statewide mask mandates”. Related: California expands Covid restrictions as Delta variant threat grows Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Owners blame ‘low consumer confidence’ and confused government messages for poor post-‘freedom day’ attendances Nightclubs in England have seen low attendances and been forced to cancel events as the pandemic continues to disrupt the nightlife industry almost two weeks on from “freedom day”. Many operators blamed “low consumer confidence” in the face of confusing government messages about whether it was safe to attend. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

More than 3.6 million at risk of eviction after Covid relief ends Last-minute lawmakers’ scramble fails to find solution A nationwide US eviction moratorium was set to expire on Saturday night after Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress failed to align on a long-shot strategy to stop millions of Americans being forced from their homes during a Covid-19 surge. Related: Republicans used to laud ‘personal responsibility’. Not with Covid | David Litt Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Inspired by a desire to be good and help others during the pandemic, novelist Sarah Perry trained to vaccinate people. But what does it mean to be good when there is so much bad faith? Earlier this year – lockdown three: no sign of spring – I travelled to an airport to try to be good. Dogged for months by the sense of my own uselessness, and having wept with relief and accumulated sorrow when the first Covid-19 vaccine was approved, I’d joined an organisation training volunteers to deliver vaccinations, and so arrived at a desolate Stansted shortly after dawn. Here I sat in the basement of a hotel fallen almost out of use, and in the company of a hundred strangers – though alone and masked in a square of carpet marked out with black tape – learned how to treat fainting fits, panic attacks and anaphylactic shock. In our number were a circus performer, a firefighter, a consultant of some kind; and having been starved of unfamiliar faces for so long we were all, I think, happy to be ther...

UK equalities watchdog warns businesses to be ‘non-discriminatory’ in the application of their employee vaccine policies. Thailand: Bangkok warehouse turned into 1,800-bed hospital as Covid crisis worsens See all our coronavirus coverage 9.39am BST The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, has said that plans to impose vaccine passports for domestic use was “unworkable, expensive and divisive”, as he called for the recall of parliament to debate changes to the NHS app which allows it to be used as proof of vaccine status. Describing the plan as a “Covid ID card”, Davey said imposing vaccine passports would “be a real attack on people’s freedoms” and a “serious undermining of civil liberties.” Because the government told us they weren’t going to do this. We’ve all agreed that for international travel you’ll need to have Covid options but domestically, sort of Covid ID cards, the Liberal Democrats have led the campaign against them, we’ve seen MPs in other parties share...

‘If they’re dumb enough not to get the vaccine, let them get sick,’ some thought. Now we know everyone would suffer An email arrived from my cousin this week outlining how bad Covid cases are in her part of South Africa. Delta is surging, she wrote; their friends and neighbours were starting to die. Meanwhile, vaccination rates were terrible, with less than 5% of the population fully vaccinated. After filling me in on the rest of the family news, she assured me that she and her husband were on the waiting list for vaccines – for what it was worth. Her husband, she said, was “convinced they’re not safe”. This was information to me. Not that a member of my extended family differed from me in his thoughts about drug trials and government-agency approval, but more broadly: wow, I had no idea my cousin was married to a lunatic. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Six weeks apart from my family is insignificant compared with the separation some have had to endure. Public health has deeply affected the private heart Not everyone likes each other. That would seem to be an uncontroversial take on contemporary society. I won’t waste my word count on examples; you obviously read the newspapers. But you’d be hard pushed to countenance the existence of such a bifurcated and tribalistic society if you spent time at an airport arrivals lounge. It was something I used to enjoy as a late teenager, until the closing credits of Love, Actually ruined it for me. I’d swing by Heathrow, get a copy of Sky Magazine from Smith’s and, with vampiric delight, sit and watch the emotional fireworks play out in front of me. Sure, some were a bit muted, a bit more “indoor sparkler” than others, but the big whoppers, the whiz-bangs, the Catherine wheels that spun loose from the tree – they could really set me up in a good mood for the rest of the week. Odd, maybe, but ...

Anti-lockdown protests planned in Sydney fail to materialise as police enforce exclusion zone Follow our coronavirus live blog NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; border restrictions Qld Covid restrictions and lockdown: Brisbane and regional Queensland coronavirus rules explained Vccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Anti-lockdown protests planned in Sydney on Saturday failed to materialise, with police confident a city-wide crackdown on movement and checkpoints entering the city prevented a repeat of the lockdown-violating mass gatherings seen last week. As New South Wales health authorities announced 210 new cases in its Delta outbreak on Saturday morning, deputy police commissioner Michael Willing set the scene for what would be a severe operation involving mounted police, helicopters, harsh fines and an exclusion zone to keep potential protesters from gathering. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Man in his 60s dies at home in south-west Sydney as state reports new locally acquired cases Follow our coronavirus live blog State v state: war of words heats up over Sydney and Melbourne lockdowns From social distancing bracelets to vaccine priority: how NSW supermarkets are tackling Covid NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing The death toll from the New South Wales coronavirus outbreak has risen to 14 after the death of a man at his home in south-west Sydney. The news came as NSW reported 210 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, two-thirds of whom were people under 40. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Snap three-day lockdown in Brisbane and surrounding areas of Queensland, while WHO urges containment ‘before more dangerous variants emerge’ See all our coronavirus coverage Outbreaks of the Delta variant have prompted China and Australia to impose stricter Covid-19 restrictions as the WHO urged the world to quickly contain the mutation before it turns into something deadlier. China’s most serious surge of coronavirus infections in months spread to two more areas on Saturday: Fujian province and the megacity of Chongqing. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Advertising watchdog to investigate ‘inconsistent pricing’ and lack of availability of listed kits Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Most of the cheapest Covid tests for travellers listed on the government website are not available to holidaymakers who plan to go away this summer, with critics saying consumers are at the mercy of a “wild west” marketplace. The Advertising Standards Authority told the Guardian it was now investigating, after receiving complaints from consumers about what it described as “inconsistent pricing”. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Festivals and sporting events such as Goodwood will host pop-up vaccination centres in England this weekend Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Pop-up vaccine centres are being set up at festivals, sporting events and even a circus in England this weekend, as the NHS bids to boost take-up among younger people. The latest official data shows that 60% of 18- to 25-year-olds have received at least one jab since all over-18s were invited to come forward for vaccination last month. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Eleven LGAs locked down from 4pm on Saturday as deputy premier says state must ‘go hard and go early’ Follow our coronavirus live blog Qld Covid restrictions and lockdown: Brisbane and regional Queensland coronavirus rules explained State v state: war of words heats up over Sydney and Melbourne lockdowns Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing South-east Queensland will enter its strictest lockdown of the pandemic for three days, starting at 4pm on Saturday, after the state recorded six new locally acquired cases of Covid-19. The stay-at-home orders will apply across 11 local government in the south-east, including Brisbane City, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Families paying tribute to those who have died urge people to get vaccinated and continue precautions Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage After two months of rising Covid-19 cases in the UK, people have celebrated falling numbers in the past week. But the number of deaths from the virus rose to 131 on Tuesday, the highest since March. Behind those numbers are lives lost and grieving families urging people to get vaccinated and keep taking precautions. Among those dealing with their grief is Paul Nuttall after the death of his 24-year-old son, Billy – affectionately called “sunbeam” by his dad for his ability to light up a room. Billy, an Oxford history graduate who was doing a master’s in politics at Manchester, had his life shaken by Covid. He had isolated – barely leaving the house – for 18 months and because of this he gained weight, reaching 190kg (30st). He went to fitness classes with his dad but before they could really make a difference he caug...

When will life go back to normal? When can Australians fly overseas? How soon will lockdowns become a thing of the past? Here’s what we know about the national pandemic exit plan Follow our live blog for the latest updates Download our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Scott Morrison has revealed the triggers for moving to the next two phases of Australia’s opening-up plan, aimed at reducing the reliance on lockdowns and increasing freedom for vaccinated international travellers. But the moves are conditional on dramatic increases in Covid-19 vaccination rates and the timing remains up in the air. Morrison declared there was an “in principle” agreement at a national cabinet meeting on Friday but at least one state leader subsequently warned that lockdowns may still be necessary in later phases. Here is a rundown of the latest version of the reopening plan. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Germany’s economy grew by only 1.5% after manufacturing was hit by computer chip shortage Business live updates: eurozone economy powers ahead Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Italy and Spain have helped drive the eurozone out of recession after a stronger than expected 2% expansion in the second quarter of 2021, official data has shown. The 19-nation single currency area beat forecasts of a 1.5% increase in gross domestic product despite a disappointing performance from the bloc’s powerhouse economy, Germany. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

With restrictions extended for four weeks, cases growing and a sluggish vaccine rollout, the end of the outbreak seems far away See all our coronavirus coverage After five weeks of a tightening lockdown, they were not the words Sydney residents wanted to hear: the leader of New South Wales announcing another month of restrictions and telling the state to prepare for things to get worse, not better. There was further anguish prompted by the daily Covid case numbers, which were rising daily , despite strict stay at home measures. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

But there’s no indication when that target may be met in the updated national pandemic plan released on Friday Australians will be able to head overseas again to visit family and friends when 80% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated under a national pandemic exit plan, the prime minister says. But there’s no target date for when that might happen and one premier has already suggested they might not follow the revamped roadmap agreed to by state and territory leaders on Friday. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Nurses across the US are picketing over severe understaffing issues and inadequate equipment amid the pandemic Last April people across America came out of quarantine each night to cheer the healthcare workers fighting to save lives a the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Sixteen months on, nurses around the US are holding strikes and picket actions amid claims of deteriorating working conditions and severe understaffing issues. Related: ‘Heart-wrenching’: inside a hospital grappling with Delta and vaccine hesitancy Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The Republican party is encouraging Americans to make objectively selfish, harmful choices – then using the tools of government to shield them from accountability “It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions,” declared Ronald Reagan at the 1968 Republican National Convention. By the time he became president 12 years later, this idea – that individuals can be trusted to act wisely and should be held accountable when they don’t – was firmly entrenched in Republican rhetoric. Reagan even included “personal responsibility” in his list of America’s bedrock values, right up there with faith in God, honesty, and caring for others. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Transport secretary says it is a good idea but policy is a matter for individual businesses Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage People should be fully vaccinated before returning to office jobs but it will not be made a legal requirement in England, a cabinet minister has said. Nor will the government go as far as requiring vaccine passports for entry to shops or pubs in England, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said. Some nightclubs require an NHS Covid pass for entry, while some football clubs have said they will also ask for proof of vaccination or a negative test. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Latest updates: Delta variant is ‘an issue’ in northern France, transport secretary says Ministers under fire for putting France on England’s ‘amber plus’ list Global coronavirus updates – live 9.42am BST Also this morning, Grant Shapps has said the government does not plan to introduce vaccine passport requirements for entry to shops or pubs. But the transport secretary said they will be required for “close contact” venues like nightclubs. So most people have already had their vaccinations anyway - and I’m talking about adults who have had their vaccinations anyway. So, for most people this doesn’t matter one way or the other. It does protect not just your life but other people’s lives when you get vaccinated, so of course, as a society, we should be encouraging it. 9.26am BST Grant Shapps has defended the government’s decision to put France on the UK’s “amber plus” travel list due to the threat posed by the Beta variant which the transport secretary claims is “an issue”...

Group hopes to raise passenger capacity for summer to about 45% of its 2019 pre-Covid capacity Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage British Airways’ owner, International Airlines Group, has announced plans to gradually return more planes to the skies after reporting a €2bn (£1.7bn) loss for the first half of 2021. International Airlines Group (IAG) said it hoped to raise passenger capacity for the pivotal summer period to about 45% of its 2019 pre-pandemic capacity, up from only 20% for the first six months of the year, with hopes that its lucrative transatlantic UK-US routes could reopen fully. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Majority taxpayer-owned lender plans fresh round of dividends and share buybacks NatWest Group has returned to profit and announced plans for a fresh round of dividends and share buybacks that will result in a payout of at least £190m for the Treasury. The majority taxpayer-owned lender – formerly known as Royal Bank of Scotland – said it planned to pay investors dividends worth £347m at 3p per share after swinging to a £2.5bn profit in the first half of the year as the British economy recovers from Covid-19. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Labour leader calls for date on which fully vaccinated in England can avoid self-isolation to match that of Wales Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Keir Starmer has challenged Downing Street to bring forward the date on which fully vaccinated people in England can avoid coronavirus isolation if they have been in contact with a person who has tested positive, in a move that would match a date of 7 August in Wales. The call from the Labour leader – which adds to pressure from Conservative MPs – comes after the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, insisted on Thursday that the public had to “stick with” the 16 August date. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

NSW police say a 35-year-old man fined ahead of last Saturday’s rally was not at his residence and found at another household in western Sydney Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing A man who was fined by New South Wales police in the lead-up to last Saturday’s protest later tested positive for Covid-19 and was found to be not isolating at his western Sydney home. As the NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller warned people not to attend another anti-lockdown protest planned for Sydney on Saturday, police also revealed a case linked to last Saturday’s demonstration was being investigated for a possible breach of self-isolation rules. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Karapiru Awá Guajá, among the last of the hunter-gatherer Awá tribe, survived a massacre and a decade alone in the forest, inspiring others with his resilience and ‘extraordinary warmth’ He survived a massacre that killed most of his family in the Brazilian Amazon and lived for 10 years alone in the forest, but Karapiru Awá Guajá could not escape the pandemic. Karapiru, one of the last of the hunter-gatherer nomadic Awá of Maranhão state, died of Covid-19 earlier this month. With only 300 Awá thought to remain, they have been called the “earth’s most threatened tribe” . Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

These spaces are the crowning glory of the pub experience, and the British dedication to them is proud-making The pub garden, or beer garden – that beverage befittingly muscling in and rowdily taking sole possession of the name – has come into its own during Covid. But I have always thought beer gardens the crowning glory of the pub experience. Summer is upon us. Ostensibly. Which means sitting astride the benches of picnic tables dappled in sunlight, knees touching. The atmosphere is jovial under the influence of the sun. Cocktail umbrellas are matched by the real thing, shading burning shoulders. Cool drinks grasped and gulped thirstily. Caps pulled down to protect eyes. Gravel crunching under trainers as rounds make their way back from the bar. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Hard-hit suburbs are home to many Indigenous Australians, refugees and migrants Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing The deployment of troops to enforce Sydney’s lockdown could alienate the community and fuel vaccine hesitancy, particularly in the hard-hit western suburbs where many Indigenous Australians and migrants and refugees live, community groups and residents are warning. Three hundred defence personnel are preparing to be deployed on Sydney’s streets on Monday after New South Wales police made a formal request for their help. They’ll undergo training at the weekend before joining police on the streets as they enforce a sixth week of lockdown. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Israel will be first country to give third Pfizer shot; Manila to be under tightest quarantine curbs from 6-20 August; Japan set to expand state of emergency Japan urges young people to get jabs and stay in amid Tokyo Covid surge Israel to offer Pfizer Covid booster shots to people over 60 City of Nanjing isolated as China fights worst Covid outbreak in months Pregnant women urged to get Covid jab amid rise in hospital admissions See all our coronavirus coverage 6.32am BST Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday approved the imposition of lockdown measures in the capital region. The Manila capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities home to more than 13 million people, will be placed under the tightest quarantine curbs from 6 August to 20 August. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a televised address. “While it is a painful decision, this is for the good of all.” The lockdown will prevent people leaving their homes, except for essential shopping, while in...

Retailers call on government to amend business tax rates in response to changing shopping needs and habits More than one in seven shops are now vacant on UK high streets, retail parks and shopping centres, the highest proportion since at least 2015, as the Covid-19 pandemic ramped up pressure on already weakened retailers. Fashion stores have been hit particularly hard, with a major shift to online shopping during the pandemic, and a lack of parties, events and nights out to dress up for. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Spending is up. The world has been fighting a war against Covid, and in wartime the power of the state always increases Over the past 18 months, the world has been amazed at how slippery an enemy Covid-19 has proved to be. The virus first detected in China at the end of 2019 has mutated on a regular basis. Vaccines need to evolve because the virus is changing to survive. The shock to the global economy from the pandemic has been colossal, but things are now looking up – especially for advanced countries . Some are surprised by the pace of recovery, but they perhaps shouldn’t be, because alongside new variants of the virus there has been a new variant of global capitalism. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Party islands Mykonos and Ios could be shut down as Delta variant infection rates surge among young people Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Greece has begun deploying police units to holiday island hotspots as the country’s tourism season moves into high gear amid a worrying spread of coronavirus variants. Authorities moved to beef up police presence on party isles such as Mykonos and Ios as concerns mounted over local entrepreneurs failing to comply with health measures aimed at curbing the pandemic. “The Delta variant has meant that every country is dealing with the fourth wave now and not as expected in November,” the Greek tourism minister Haris Theoharis told the Guardian. “While hotels and family-type venues are implementing protocols diligently, there’s more congestion than we would like to see in bars, especially among the younger crowd ... so we are trying to ensure some balance is kept.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

During a Covid-19 press conference, NSW health offical Jeremy McAnulty ‘misspoke’ and inferred that all Covid patients in intensive care had been vaccinated when in fact none of them had been fully vaccinated. The video of the mistake has been widely shared on social media. A single post on one Australian page which regularly shares vaccination misinformation had more than 1,800 'interactions', including almost 300 'shares'. In less regulated online spaces, the video has been shared globally among conspiracist groups. In US-based Telegram groups clips of the video have been seen tens of thousands of times across various groups. Some called it evidence the vaccine is 'deadly gene therapy' and 'pure poison'. The Guardian also saw posts sharing the video in Telegram pages in Europe and the UK  Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

There are 58 Covid-19 patients in intensive care connected to the Sydney outbreak, with 24 ventilated Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing NSW has reported 170 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 and at least 52 of those people were circulating in the community for all or part of their infectious period. NSW police will now be joined by the military in the areas worst hit by Sydney’s outbreak to ensure residents are complying with lockdown restrictions. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Labor has complained to the Australian Electoral Commission about the mining magnate’s latest pamphlet, which is being distributed across the country Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Vaccine rollout tracker Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Clive Palmer is defying a call from the Therapeutic Goods Administration to stop spreading “misleading information” as his new pamphlet containing disputed claims about the impact of vaccinations is being distributed across the country, including to residents in greater Sydney. The latest direct mail-out is a public response to the TGA’s criticism of his previous advertisements. It quotes figures published by the TGA on post-vaccination deaths and adverse reactions out of context, criticises the body for not ceasing the vaccine rollout, claims there is no pandemic in Australia, and accuses the TGA and the government of spreading misleading information. It has also prompted Labor to complain to the Austral...

Stricter quarantine measures for fully vaccinated travellers discriminatory, says minister Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A French government minister has described the decision to keep stricter quarantine measures in place for fully vaccinated travellers arriving in England from his country as discriminatory and incomprehensible. The Europe minister Clément Beaune criticised the decision after England, Scotland and Wales announced plans to significantly reduce restrictions on international travel for those who have been fully vaccinated. Northern Ireland is yet to announce whether it will follow suit. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Housing advocates are concerned that delays in rental assistance mean tenants will suddenly owe months of payments For months, Denise Forcer would get stressed just by opening her closet. The crush of belongings stuffed inside reminded her she didn’t know where she would go or what she would do if her landlord followed through with the eviction notices they kept posting on the door of her south Florida apartment. “I thought I was going to have a breakdown, I really did,” Forcer, 51, told the Guardian. “I didn’t know when those people were going to come banging on my door or put up another paper.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

After a moment of hope, much is sliding backwards. It’s not Biden’s fault; it’s Trump’s legacy Despair is worse after hope is briefly ignited. I don’t know about you, but I was elated earlier this spring when it seemed as if Trump and Covid were gone, and Biden seemed surprisingly able and willing to get the nation rapidly back on track. Related: ‘I went to hell and back’: officer condemns Republican lawmakers who spurned Capitol attack hearing Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Health experts say surge in cases amid Olympics could overload hospitals unless action taken Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Health experts in Japan have warned that a recent surge in coronavirus cases in Tokyo, six days into the Olympics, could put hospitals under severe strain unless young people stop socialising at night and get vaccinated. Tokyo reported 3,865 daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, up from 3,177 on Wednesday, as rising infections in the capital cast a shadow over the Olympics. Wednesday was the first time cases in Tokyo had exceeded 3,000 since the start of the pandemic. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Foreign secretary says government will not ‘hold country back’ because some are not getting vaccinated Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The government is using the threat of domestic vaccine passports to coax and cajole people into getting double-jabbed, the foreign secretary has admitted. Dominic Raab said ministers did not want to “hold the country back” just because some individuals were not coming forward to get innoculated, confirming publicly what many suspected about Boris Johnson’s sudden decision to throw his weight behind certification for nightclubs . Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Former No 10 adviser pressed for appointment to be hurried through, saying he had ‘ordered it’ from PM Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Dominic Cummings personally called a former colleague on the Vote Leave Brexit campaign and asked if his company would work for the government on its response to the Covid pandemic, leading to the award of a £580,000 Cabinet Office contract with no competitive process. In an email on 20 March 2020, Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser asked the most senior civil servant responsible for contracts to sign off the budget immediately, and that if “anybody in CABOFF [the Cabinet Office] whines”, to tell them Cummings had “ordered it” from the prime minister. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Different restrictions for different local government areas leads to confusion – and that’s a disaster for compliance NSW Covid update: army to help enforce Sydney lockdown as state reports record 239 local cases NSW restrictions ; NSW hotspots ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Suddenly Sydneysiders are paying attention to what local government area we live in. LGAs will now determine whether we can go outdoors without a mask and how far we can stray from our homes to shop or exercise. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Latest updates: foreign secretary says government hopes announcement will see vaccination surge, as France saw with similar plan Lack of quarantine at England’s borders ‘risks havoc of Covid variants’ Coronavirus – latest global updates See all our coronavirus coverage 9.33am BST Good morning. Dominic Raab , the foreign secretary, has been doing the minister for broadcasting slot this morning, and on the Today programme he effectively admitted that the government has been talking up the need for vaccine passports recently to encourage younger people to get the jab. A week and a half ago Boris Johnson made the surprise announcement that, from the end of September, vaccine passports would be required for people wanting to go to nightclubs. Since then it has emerged that ministers are also considering them for Premier League football matches and for students wanting to stay in halls of residence or to attend lectures. Many people will have taken the view that it is blindingly obvi...

Epidemiologists say ‘toxic’ political culture is shutting experts out of government plans for Australia’s reopening Australia can’t afford to abandon its zero Covid strategy until 80% of the population is vaccinated, the Grattan Institute has warned, predicting that could take until March if children are not included in the rollout. The release of the thinktank’s report on Thursday outlining how Australia could safely reopen with Covid circulating in the community comes as a leading epidemiologist warned the country’s political culture is so “toxic” that experts are being shut out of the planning process with the federal government. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

High-profile politicians have changed their tune on Covid inoculation but pollsters say part of their base remains unswayed Almost like a switch had been flipped, a set of high-profile Republican political figures and conservative media personalities recently shifted their stance on the Covid-19 shots and became more outspoken and proactive in urging Americans to get vaccinated. Governor Kay Ivey of Alabama, the state with the lowest proportion of fully vaccinated people in the country, said last week it was time to shame vaccination holdouts. Commentator Sean Hannity, who had previously called the pandemic a hoax, offered an on-air argument for viewers to get vaccinated. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis, who had been selling merchandise mocking the use of masks, said the anti-Covid vaccines “are saving lives”. The Republican congressman Steve Scalise of Louisiana, where only 36% of eligible residents are fully vaccinated, finally got inoculated publicly after refraining from doing ...

Flights have reportedly been cancelled and checkpoints set up to verify travellers’ health status amid Delta Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Health authorities in China have set up checkpoints and reportedly suspended flights in the eastern city of Nanjing in the country’s worst coronavirus emergency in months. More than 170 people have been diagnosed with the Delta variant in the past 10 days. The main outbreak is centred on Nanjing, in Jiangsu province, but connected cases have reportedly been identified in Beijing and other provinces including Anhui, Liaoning, Sichuan and Guangdong. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

A cargo facility at the capital’s airport will care for patients with moderate Covid symptoms as Thailand sees record cases See all our coronavirus coverage A cargo warehouse at Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport has been turned into an 1,800-bed field hospital, as the country struggles with its most severe outbreak since the start of the pandemic. Hospitals in the capital Bangkok, where the outbreak concentrated, have been overwhelmed by patients, and forced to turn people away. On Thursday, the country reported a record 17,669 deaths and 165 deaths. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Prosecutors in Houston say Arael Doolittle, along with Paschal Eleanya, tried to sell Australian state 50m masks at five times the list price A Texas man has pleaded guilty to involvement in a scheme to fraudulently sell 50 million N95 respirator masks he did not have for $317.6m to the New South Wales government, US prosecutors said. Arael Doolittle entered his plea to a wire fraud conspiracy charge on Tuesday before US district judge Lynn Hughes in Houston. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

A two-week delay in the trials brought a flicker of joy for some year 12s, but for others, finishing major works seems impossible Early July last year in the exam hall of Dulwich Hill High, it was quiet except for the scribbling of hundreds of pens over various trial HSC papers. Sitting directly adjacent to the hall, I remember playing hangman in year 11 biology, laughing with my mates about how horrid an HSC year spent studying in lockdown would be. Related: Cautious welcome for rapid antigen tests to control Sydney Covid outbreak, despite reliability concerns Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Cambodia’s lockdown bans most people from leaving their homes, gathering in groups and conducting business; Japan facing most serious situation since the pandemic began, says Covid health adviser Once a Covid success story, South Korea sweats through summer of Delta surge Five Cuban generals dead in recent days – is the Covid spike to blame? New US mask guidance prompted by evidence vaccinated can spread Delta See all our coronavirus coverage 6.37am BST Japan faces its most serious situation since the pandemic began, the country’s top medical adviser warned on Thursday, urging the government to send a “clearer, stronger message” about growing risks, including to the medical system. Reuters: Olympic host city Tokyo recorded 3,177 new Covid cases on Wednesday, hitting a daily record high for a second straight day as a spike in infections puts pressure on hospitals. Nationwide new cases topped 9,500 for the first time, media reported. 6.29am BST Hello and welcome to today’s li...