COVID-19 News And Updates

Mu has been designated a ‘variant of interest’ and has mutations suggesting it could be more resistant to vaccines; New Zealand records 75 cases after two days of falls Native American tribes enforce mask mandates regardless of state bans Vaccine passports will make hesitant people ‘even more reluctant to get jabbed’ Covid’s toxic divides could shape Europe for years, study says Judge orders hospital to treat Ohio Covid patient with ivermectin See all our coronavirus coverage 6.58am BST New Zealand has recorded 75 new cases of Covid-19, a bounce upward after two days of seeing cases decline. The director general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, said on Tuesday the increase was “not unexpected” and noted that during New Zealand’s previous outbreak, case numbers did move up and down somewhat day-to-day, while still tracking down overall. Related: New Zealand Covid update: 75 cases recorded after two days of falls 6.34am BST A new coronavirus variant named Mu has been design...

Dan Andrews says playgrounds will reopen Thursday and more freedoms to come when vaccine target hit, as state records 120 cases Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Vic restrictions ; Vic hotspots Vaccine rollout tracker Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Daniel Andrews has named 23 September as the date he believes 70% of eligible Victorians will have received their first vaccination dose and when restrictions can begin to lift. But the Victorian premier on Wednesday warned “we are in for a difficult time” and that case number’s wont’t come down despite the state having “thrown everything at this”. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The premier says vaccinated international travellers could begin flying in for Christmas, as the state records 1,116 new Covid cases and four deaths Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing New South Wales could be opening pubs, restaurants, stadiums and services like hairdressing to fully vaccinated people by mid-October, while vaccinated international travellers could be welcomed for Christmas under a system of home quarantine. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said life will feel “very much more normal” by mid-October when the state is expected to achieve the 70% double-dose vaccination milestone, which would allow freedoms for vaccinated residents. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Retail data shows 0.4% month-on-month increase in August, with 0.6% rise in non-food UK shop prices rose last month, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium, in a sign that driver shortages and the costs of Brexit-induced red tape are beginning to hit household budgets. The latest figures from the BRC and research group NielsenIQ reveal a 0.4% month-on-month rise in August. This was driven by a 0.6% rise in non-food prices, including a sharp increase in the cost of electrical goods caused by shortages of micro-chips and shipping problems. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Vastly different experiences across geography, generations and societies may have dramatic political impact Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Radically different experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic have created toxic geographical, generational and societal divides across Europe that could shape the continent’s politics for years to come, according to a study. Research by the European Council on Foreign Relations based on polling in 12 EU states shows a “tale of two pandemics and two Europes”, with the past 18 months taking a vastly different toll on regions, age groups and individuals in the bloc. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Victorian premier Dan Andrews has announced that aiming to get back to zero Covid cases is over. 'In just the last two days, the number of cases, the nature of those cases, the depth of the seeding of this outbreak has become clear and the chief health officer’s advice to me and the government has changed - fundamentally changed,' Andrews said. 'We will not see these case numbers go down. They are going to go up. The question is - by how many and how fast?' ►  Subscribe to Guardian Australia on YouTube Follow the Australia Covid live blog for the latest updates Vic hotspots ; Vic restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Pharmacists report resistance from customers as TGA warns against using drug as a Covid treatment Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Australian pharmacists have reported an increasing number of people arriving with prescriptions for the drug ivermectin, but refusing to say what it will be used for. The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia said its members were encountering resistance from some customers when asked why they were seeking ivermectin. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Auckland remains the centre of the outbreak with all but one of the new infections found in the city New Zealand has recorded 75 new cases of Covid-19, a bounce upward after two days of seeing cases decline. The director general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, said on Tuesday the increase was “not unexpected” and noted that during New Zealand’s previous outbreak, case numbers did move up and down somewhat day-to-day, while still tracking down overall. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

As I slid into her DMs, I entered the dystopian nightmare of romance across hard borders. But love can grow in the most infertile and unlikely soils I’ve always thought of dating as like a particularly complicated soup – which is perhaps why I was very single for many years. My theory was that romance is a temperamental, finicky meal that calls for a truly baffling array of ingredients in order to be successful – some kind of five-star French delection that requires everything to be “just so”. Even if you do get all the correct ingredients (two consenting adults who are reasonably attracted to each other, a low-lit smoky bar on a Saturday night, enough alcohol to push through the awkward conversation), it’s still incredibly likely, almost guaranteed, that something will mess up the recipe and you’ll be left with a disaster, an inedible mess. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Kaitlyn and George have the protection of other people as a priority every day, but when it comes to their own lives, it’s the simple things they miss Follow the Pandemic Lives series Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Childcare supervisor, Liverpool, Sydney Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Film’s makers are accusing insurers of failing to pay out for pandemic-related production shutdowns Paramount Pictures, the studio behind the Mission Impossible: 7 film, is suing its insurance company, accusing it of failing to cover the costs of a string of Covid-related production stoppages. Related: Tom Cruise’s car stolen while filming in Birmingham Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

He will now focus on the transformational legacy he craves. But can Johnson’s chaotic administration really deliver it? What won’t Boris Johnson do next? A new political season is about to get under way, and the prime minister’s agenda is packed with choices to defer and challenges to duck. There is always a back-to-school atmosphere at Westminster in the autumn, but it will be intensified this year by the resumption of parliamentary business unmuffled by Covid restrictions . The recall of MPs for a debate on Afghanistan in the middle of August was a reminder that politics has missed the volatile energy generated by a heaving Commons. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

There is scant evidence that ivermectin can treat or prevent Covid - but that hasn’t stopped rightwing pundits and conservative politicians from promoting it You are not a horse . You are not a cow. You are, I’m afraid, a homo sapiens living in a world so deranged that people would rather poison themselves with worm medicine meant for farm animals than take a vaccine meant for human beings. Related: Australian imports of ivermectin increase tenfold, prompting warning from TGA Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Analysis: Rishi Sunak’s scheme has helped hold off mass unemployment, but he now favours targeted action There have been few unalloyed successes for the government during its battle with the biggest public health challenge of modern times. Vaccine procurement was one, the furlough introduced at the start of the crisis was another. State wage subsidies are entering their final month and although in the past deadlines for winding them up have been missed, there is no prospect of that happening this time. Unless something dramatic occurs in the next 30 days, a scheme that has supported 11.6m jobs and for which the final bill will be £70bn or more will come to an end. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Sinn Féin politician self-isolates but says she hopes to return to public duties next week Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Michelle O’Neill, has said she has contracted Covid-19. The Sinn Féin politician tweeted that she was in self-isolation but hoped to return to public duties next week. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

• Anti-parasitic drug used on horses can be dangerous • Jeffrey Smith, 51, to receive 30mg for three weeks A judge in Ohio ordered a hospital to treat a Covid-19 patient with ivermectin, despite warnings from experts that the anti-parasitic drug has not proved effective against the virus and can be dangerous in large doses. Related: Rand Paul: ‘Hatred for Trump’ blocks Covid study of horse drug ivermectin Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

PM’s spokesperson rejects suggestion ministers could back away from proposals for clubs and large venues Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Downing Street has said the government will press ahead with plans to introduce vaccine passports for nightclubs and other crowded indoor venues in England from the end of next month. Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson was asked on Tuesday about reports suggesting ministers could back away from the proposal in the face of objections from Conservative MPs , but said there was no change to the policy. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Six teachers discuss their hopes and Covid concerns as classes resume after the summer holidays Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage As most schools across the UK start the new term, with pupils in Scotland having been back for two weeks, many teachers and students are no longer expected to socially distance or wear masks. Air quality monitors will be provided to schools in England to help combat Covid. The Guardian spoke to six teachers about the start of term and how they are feeling about returning. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Prime minister shifts gear amid sustained pushback from state leaders but warns of travel implications of differing restrictions Covid restrictions: NSW ; Vic ; Qld ; borders Hotspots: NSW ; Vic ; Qld Vaccine rollout tracker Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Scott Morrison has declared it will be up to each state and territory to decide how to ease restrictions once vaccination rates lift across the country, after warnings from the states that it will be unsafe to open borders with only 70% coverage. But the prime minister, who announced on Tuesday that Australia had secured an extra 500,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines from Singapore to distribute next week, also suggested that if states kept hard domestic borders in place once vaccination rates lifted, some Australians would be free to travel overseas while others were not. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Police arrest Australian-born conspiracy theorist Karen Brewer in Kaikohe and Reignite Democracy Australia leader Monica Smit in Melbourne, in separate incidents Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Restrictions: NSW ; Vic ; Qld ; borders . Hotspots: NSW ; Vic ; Qld Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Two leaders of the anti-lockdown movement have been arrested in Australia and New Zealand in separate incidents, on the same day protests were held in defiance of stay-at-home orders in both countries. On Tuesday morning New Zealand police arrested 19 people during what they described as a series of “small” demonstrations outside government and local council buildings. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

‘We are grateful to feed families, I’m happy to put a smile on people’s faces, I’m very happy. It is what it is’ Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Vic hotspots ; Vic restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Jeihan and Azem Elmazs’ Albanian restaurant has been a place of refuge for vulnerable people in Shepparton’s community for three decades. Now, the couple are working around the clock to deliver hundreds of free, cooked meals for people in need of support, as the regional Victorian city grapples with a major Covid outbreak. When Shepparton entered lockdown on 23 August, Azem Elmaz and his wife, Jeihan kicked in to gear, cooking and packing hundreds of meals to be delivered to people in need across the region. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Vice-chancellor Iain Martin says international student numbers will not return to pre-pandemic figures in the foreseeable future Deakin University has announced plans to terminate up to 220 employees as the tertiary education sector braces for a “second wave” of job cuts. During a town hall conference on Tuesday, the Deakin University vice-chancellor, Prof Iain Martin, announced a plan to cut between 180 and 220 jobs, citing rising staff costs and falling revenue, the latter exacerbated greatly by the pandemic. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

As sovereign nations, Indigenous groups are using their authority to make their own rules to protect students and teachers Native American tribes across the handful of US states with bans on school mask mandates have asserted their powers as sovereign nations to defy the orders, with many also implementing their own testing and vaccine directives for tens of thousands of students and faculty in schools on their reservations as Covid-19 cases surge. Under the US constitution, federally recognized tribes, such as the Navajo Nation and the Cherokee Nation, have self-governing authority, and so have been able to implement mask mandates despite the statewide bans. Jason Dropik, board president of the National Indian Education Association and the head of the Indian Community School in Wisconsin, said the majority of Native communities he’s heard from in states with these bans have implemented mask mandates. The reasoning, he explained, often has to do with the fact that Indigenous Ame...

Sportswear and sneaker brand joins dating app Bumble in offering extra time off in Covid pandemic Nike has given its head office employees in the US a week off to “destress” and recover from the pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sportswear and trainers brand said workers at its headquarters in Oregon would be “powering down” until Friday, with senior leaders encouraging staff to ignore all work responsibilities to aid their mental health. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The public health infrastructure in rural and remote NSW is not well understood but is potentially the most fragile Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Restrictions: NSW ; Vic ; Qld ; borders . Hotspots: NSW ; Vic ; Qld Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Where is the light at the end of the tunnel of the Covid-19 outbreak in New South Wales? There will be some restrictions easing when 70% of the NSW population is fully vaccinated, but there is a significant vaccination gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Aboriginal communities in NSW have been experiencing an alarming rise in the number of active cases. The Covid vaccines, described as 95% effective, were thought to be NSW’s way out of the outbreak. Now, we struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Peak body for NSW Aboriginal health services said both NSW and Federal governments’ response to the western NSW outbreak was ‘too little too late’ Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing The New South Wales government has refused to take responsibility for what it admits is the “disappointing” vaccine rollout in Aboriginal communities in the state’s west, despite being warned last year of a potential catastrophe in the Covid-hit town of Wilcannia, as reported by Guardian Australia in an exclusive yesterday . NSW health minister, Brad Hazzard, said the vaccination rollout to Aboriginal communities has been challenging, but that it was a federal government responsibility. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

This law and order approach to public health has overwhelmed the courts – and hit vulnerable people hardest In February, police officers approached 58-year-old Lorraine Kent as she sat at the double doors by the underground car park of a Tesco in Streatham, south London. They asked her to explain herself. Kent wasn’t wearing a mask, or “adhering to Covid-19 guidelines”. It was clear she was begging. During their conversation, a passerby had offered some money. Kent, who lives in sheltered accommodation, was issued with a £200 fine. It wasn’t a sum she had the means to pay. In June, Westminster magistrates court ordered Kent to pay £2,500 in further fines and costs in absentia. It remains a mystery exactly what such a punitive outcome was supposed to achieve in the name of public health – or for a vulnerable woman already experiencing destitution. Her case is by no means unique . Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Drop in New Zealand cases is ‘reassuring indication’ lockdown is working, country’s director-general of health says, Japan says it’s likely that Moderna vaccines were contaminated when needles were stuck into vials See all our coronavirus coverage New Zealand Covid update: cases drop to 49 in ‘reassuring indication’ lockdown is working Huge decrease in organ transplants as Covid took hold across world Oregon counties request trucks for bodies as Covid overwhelms morgues 6.07am BST Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s rolling coverage of the coronavirus pandemic with me, Helen Livingstone. New cases of Covid-19 have continued to drop in New Zealand , in a promising early indication that the country’s strict lockdown is working and its latest outbreak may be coming under control. The country reported 49 new cases on Tuesday, down from 53 a day earlier. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The C.1.2 strain has scientists’ attention because it possesses mutations within the genome similar to those seen in variants of interest, like Delta A new Covid variant detected in South Africa has made headlines around the world. On Monday the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa issued an alert about the ‘C.1.2 lineage’, saying it had been detected in all provinces in the country, but at relatively low rate. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

NSW to halve number of international passengers it will accept as health authorities report 1,164 local Delta cases Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing New South Wales will halve the number of international passengers it accepts for at least a month so health workers within the hotel quarantine system can be redeployed to the state’s under-pressure hospital system. NSW on Tuesday reported 1,164 local Covid cases and three deaths. The premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said two-thirds of the adult population had now received at least a first dose of Covid vaccine. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has said there were 76 new Covid cases, 36 were in isolation for their entire infectious period. The premier has continued to push for everyone to get vaccinated. 'As a state and as a nation, we can cope with a pandemic of the unvaccinated if that unvaccinated group is quite small', he said. 'We will cope with unvaccinated people becoming infected and becoming sick when we have reached the 70% and most importantly the 80% vaccination target'. ►  Subscribe to Guardian Australia on YouTube Follow the Australia Covid live blog for the latest updates Vic hotspots ; Vic restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Vice president Chris Moy says NSW government is being ‘flippant’ in insisting the health system can expand its intensive care capacity Restrictions: NSW ; Vic ; Qld ; borders . Hotspots: NSW ; Vic ; Qld Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Patients in Sydney hospitals receiving lower levels of care will need to be moved into their homes and cared for primarily by GPs if the city’s hospitals are to stand any chance of coping with surging cases of Covid, the Australian Medical Association has warned. AMA vice president Chris Moy, has accused the Berejiklian government and health authorities of being “flippant” in insisting the New South Wales health system can expand its intensive care capacity to 2,000 beds, warning that if it is able to source enough staff to care for that many patients, hospitals would be in a state of “catastrophe”. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Majority of respondents also say lockdowns and other restrictions should continue until substantial proportion of children are fully vaccinated Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Australians are concerned about any “living with Covid” strategy that would lead to a significant increase in hospitalisations and deaths – and a majority in the latest Guardian Essential poll think governments should not end current lockdowns until a substantial proportion of children are fully vaccinated. Amid sustained political, epidemiological and community debate about Australia’s four-phase reopening strategy , the latest Guardian Essential survey of 1,100 respondents finds only 12% of the sample would be comfortable with any transition that increases deaths and hospitalisations. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Travellers from Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, and North Macedonia also affected by move Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The EU has removed six countries, including the US, from a Covid “white list” of places whose tourists should be permitted entry without restrictions such as mandatory quarantine. A majority of EU countries had reopened their borders to Americans in June, in the hope of salvaging the summer tourism season although most required a negative test ahead of travel. The move was not, however, reciprocated by the US. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

The June quarter figures will be much better than the worst of 2020 but that’s not saying much Wednesday’s GDP figures are likely going to show either record annual growth or at least the best for over 50 years. And to a large extent it will be meaningless. The figures will do little than provide a look in the rear vision mirror at an economy before New South Wales and Victoria went into lockdown and which only looks good when we compare things with the worst of 2020. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Pupils to return to classrooms in England, Wales and Northern Ireland amid warnings of infection surge Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Pupils will return to school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland this week amid experts warning the return could fuel a surge in Covid cases. We take a look at measures that could improve air quality in schools and reduce transmission. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

• Rebecca Firlit, 39, refused to get coronavirus vaccine • Hearing was ‘supposed to be about expenses and child support’ A judge in Illinois revoked a mother’s right to visit her 11-year-old son because she refused to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Related: Rand Paul: ‘Hatred for Trump’ blocks Covid study of horse drug ivermectin Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Health body previously stated that boosters in Europe are unnecessary and will increase vaccine inequality Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A booster jab of Covid-19 vaccine for vulnerable people is not a luxury but a good way to protect them, the World Health Organization has said, as surging infection rates and a pan-European vaccination slowdown produced a “deeply worrying” situation. “A third dose of vaccine is not a luxury booster taken away from someone who is still waiting for a first jab,” Dr Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, said on Monday. “It’s basically a way to keep the most vulnerable safe.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Kentucky senator tells constituents he is ‘in the middle’ on use of deworming medication FDA has implored Americans not to take Federal researchers will not study ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19, the Kentucky senator Rand Paul claimed, because “hatred for Donald Trump” has tainted their view of those who say the drug used to deworm horses can aid the fight against the pandemic. Related: Florida radio host who called himself ‘Mr Anti-Vax’ dies of Covid-19 Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

PM’s assertion comes as national death toll since pandemic began surpasses 1,000 and states seek more Pfizer amid Delta outbreak Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has declared the government has “overcome” the challenges of the national vaccine program, despite the states crying out for more mRNA vaccine supplies to curb the Delta outbreak tearing through NSW, Victoria and the ACT. The prime minister’s assertion came as the country marked the grim milestone of the first Indigenous death from a Covid-19 case, in western NSW , and as the national death toll surpassed 1,000 since the pandemic began in early 2020. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

From some of the chatter among parents, you’d think that sending children back into classrooms was a risk with no upside There are another two weeks on the clock until state schools go back in New York, and the temperature around Covid discourse is changing. Teachers will be required to be vaccinated; the kids will be masked; and random Covid testing will continue into the autumn. Meanwhile, the test positivity rate in the city hovers at about 4% (in schools, in June, that figure was 0.03% , confirming earlier suppositions that schools aren’t big sites of transmission) and the vaccination rate among adults, at 70%, is among the highest in the country . Still, from some of the chatter on parenting websites and social media, you would think that sending kids back into classrooms constituted a risk of impossible proportions, with no plausible upside whatsoever. The anxiety is real, though catastrophising is also an indulgence. Like hate-reading and unvanquishable grievance, doom-monger...

Parklea outbreak doubles to more than 60 cases, raising concerns about spread due to transportation of prisoners between jails Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing The New South Wales government has been criticised for its “outrageous” refusal to reveal inmate vaccination rates, as it announced a lockdown of the prison system due to fears a Covid outbreak at the Parklea correctional centre may have spread. On Monday, Corrective Services NSW, the government agency charged with managing the state’s 13,118 prisoners, announced all its prisons would lock down after an outbreak at the privately-run Parklea jail doubled to more than 60 cases. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Exclusive: letter to Ken Wyatt in March 2020 outlines ‘grave fears’ for Indigenous town, now ravaged by current outbreak NSW Covid restrictions ; NSW hotspots Vaccine rollout tracker ; Get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing The federal government was warned 18 months ago of the urgent need to protect the Covid-hit town of Wilcannia, leaked correspondence seen by Guardian Australia shows, with an Aboriginal health service pleading for immediate help at the time to prevent an outbreak. The Maari Ma Aboriginal health corporation wrote to the Indigenous Australians minister, Ken Wyatt, in March 2020, outlining “grave fears” for the far western New South Wales town if Covid were to spread to the vulnerable population there. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

More people in their 30s and 40s are dying from Covid in the current outbreak, but NSW has seen fewer deaths overall Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Restrictions: NSW ; Vic ; Qld ; borders ; hotspots: NSW ; Vic ; Qld Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing More than 1,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Australia during the pandemic, with more than 90 deaths in New South Wales since the current outbreak started in June. So what do we know about these deaths, and are things changing? Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Principals say continuing high case numbers in LGAs of concern mean it’s uncertain their schools will be able to open Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Principals of schools in the Covid-19 hotspot local government areas have warned the decision to proceed with delayed face-to-face HSC, with no certainty their schools will be able to open, could further entrench inequality in western and south-west Sydney communities. The decision to postpone the HSC until 9 November in order to proceed with face-to-face exams in NSW has divided students, teachers and schools. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

‘Vital’ to maintain education for children across the continent; New Zealand’s largest city sees curbs extended by two weeks ; Scottish first minister in isolation Global trade recovery starting to wane as Asian cases flare US states see sharp rise in fatalitie Sydney nurses increase sedation of patients to ease workload See all our coronavirus coverage 7.59am BST An Aboriginal man in the New South Wales town of Dubbo has become the first Indigenous victim of Covid in Australia. The man in his 50s had not been vaccinated and had underlying health conditions, health officials said. Related: Aboriginal man in Dubbo first Indigenous person in Australia to die with Covid 7.54am BST Schools across Europe must stay open and be made safer for staff and children , the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef have demanded, as a new term gets under way with the highly transmissible Delta variant still dominant in the region. “The pandemic has caused the most catastrophic disrup...

Unvaccinated man in his 50s one of four people in NSW to die with Covid on Sunday Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing An Aboriginal man in Dubbo has become the first Indigenous person in Australia to die with Covid-19. The man in his 50s died in the Dubbo regional hospital on Sunday. He had been in intensive care and had underlying health issues, Western NSW local health district chief executive, Scott McLachlan, said. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Gladys Berejiklian’s warning comes as state records outbreak’s first regional and Indigenous Covid death in Dubbo Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates NSW hotspots ; NSW restrictions ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has warned October will be the “worst time” for the state’s health system and intensive care units. Her comments came as NSW reported another record number of new Covid cases on Monday, with 1,290 local infections and four deaths. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Governments told educating children safely must be ‘primary objective’ as new school year begins Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Schools across Europe must stay open and be made safer for staff and children, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef have demanded, as a new term gets under way with the highly transmissible Delta variant still dominant in the region. “The pandemic has caused the most catastrophic disruption to education in history,” said Hans Kluge, the head of the WHO’s Europe region. “It is vital that classroom-based learning continues uninterrupted.” Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Figura worked with staff to produce poems reflecting their experiences during the Covid crisis Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage One poem imagines an NHS nightshift worker at the height of the coronavirus crisis as an astronaut, adrift and untethered from a spacecraft. Another touches on the difficulty of trying to console a patient when the comfort of a smile is obscured by a mask. The feelings of horror, sadness, isolation and frustration that NHS staff and volunteers endured at the height of the pandemic have been crystallised in verse as part of a spoken word collection at Salisbury district hospital. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

After 18 months of remote learning, some students will re-enter classrooms as the capital sees a fall in coronavirus infections See all our coronavirus coverage After almost 18 months, children in Jakarta will begin to re-enter classrooms on Monday, as Indonesia, which faces on of the worst Covid outbreaks globally, eases restrictions in some areas. Indonesia began gradually loosening its lockdown measures last week, allowing restaurants and places of worship to open their doorsat 25% capacity, and malls to operate at 50% capacity. The relaxed rules were introduced across several regions in Java and Bali , including greater Jakarta, greater Bandung and greater Surabaya. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

With a nationwide lockdown and some of the world’s strictest restrictions, Jacinda Ardern is counting on her people’s goodwill again In locked-down New Zealand, life orbits around the 1pm briefing. As the home-bound nation digests its lunch, the director general of health, Ashley Bloomfield – frequently alongside prime minister Jacinda Ardern – takes the stage behind a socially distanced podium and updates the country. In the midst of a Covid outbreak, those briefings occur almost every weekday. They are so clockwork-regular, so predictable in their essential structure, that certain sentences became memes : “Kia ora koutou katoa. There are X cases of Covid-19 in the community,” each begins. After the last outbreak, media outlet The Spinoff spliced together Bloomfield saying it 44 times. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardian

Here are the current coronavirus hotspots and Covid-19 public health exposure sites in Sydney, regional New South Wales and Canberra, and what to do if you’ve visited them. Our analysis and map shows where Covid cases are increasing, and a live data update tracks the daily case numbers in NSW Sydney, NSW and Canberra, ACT lockdown restrictions explained Map of NSW vaccination rate by suburb: check the percentages by postcode Follow our Covid live blog for the latest updates Other restrictions: Vic ; Qld ; border restrictions Vaccine rollout tracker ; get our free news app ; get our morning email briefing Health authorities have released a list of public exposure sites visited by a confirmed case of Covid-19 in Sydney, regional NSW and Canberra, ACT. Here are the current coronavirus hotspots, Covid exposure sites, venues and case location alerts in NSW and ACT and what to do if you’ve visited them. See the full list and map below. Continue reading... Coronavirus | The Guardi...