This blog is now ending, thanks for following.
A summary of today's developments
- The Netherlands will return to partial lockdown amid surging Covid cases - the first lockdown in western Europe this winter. Taking effect from Saturday evening for three weeks, restaurants and non-essential shops will close early and spectators will be barred from major sporting events.
- Brazil’s Supreme Court has suspended a government order that prevented companies from requiring employees to provide proof that they have been vaccinate against Covid-19 and stopped dismissals of those not immunised, Reuters reports.
- Elderly and vulnerable people must get their booster jabs if a rise in Covid cases in the UK is to be prevented, the British prime minister said, as he warned of “storm clouds” forming over parts of Europe where infections are surging. Story here.
- AstraZeneca has started signing commercial contracts to supply its Covid-19 vaccine next year as the pandemic moves to an “endemic phase” – in a major shift away from the drugmaker’s not-for-profit pricing. Story here.
- One in three Americans aged 65 and above has received a Covid-19 booster jab, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed on Friday.
- The Russian government has published a draft proposal to require QR codes as proof of immunity to Covid-19 from air and railway travellers up to June 1.
- Latvia’s parliament voted to ban lawmakers who refuse to get a Covid vaccine from voting on legislature and participating in discussions and to dock their pay.
- Germany’s health minister, Jens Spahn, said the country faces a “bitter December” if immediate measures are not taken to try to control the spread of coronavirus.
- The head of Germany’s Robert Koch Institute advised Germans to avoid large gatherings amid the record surge in coronavirus infections, saying: “It’s five minutes past midnight.”
-
Austria’s government is likely to decide on Sunday to impose a lockdown on people who have not been vaccinated against coronavirus as daily infections have surged to record levels. Story here.
- Norway will offer a third Covid vaccine dose to everyone aged 18 or older and will give municipalities the option of using digital “corona passes” as a way to beat back an ongoing surge in infections, the government said.
- Mauritius imposed a series of Covid-19 curbs today as it confronts a surge in cases despite a high vaccination rate.
Mexico reported 242 new confirmed deaths from Covid-19 on Friday, Reuters reports.
It brings the country’s official death toll from the pandemic to 290,872, according to health ministry data.
One in three Americans aged 65 and above has received a Covid-19 booster jab, data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed on Friday.
The country had administered 437,352,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country as of Friday morning and distributed 551,000,705 doses.
Those figures are up from the 434,486,889 vaccine doses the CDC said had gone into arms by Nov. 10 out of the 541,361,525 doses delivered.
The agency said 225,606,197 people had received at least one dose while 194,747,839 people had been fully vaccinated as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday, Reuters reports.
Updated
Brazil’s Supreme Court has suspended a government order that prevented companies from requiring employees to provide proof that they have been vaccinate against Covid-19 and stopped dismissals of those not immunised, Reuters reports.
Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic, has criticised vaccine passports required in other countries.
Justice Luis Roberto Barroso said the pandemic had killed 610,000 Brazilians and it was reasonable to surmise that the presence of unvaccinated employees poses a threat to the health of the others.
“The lack of vaccination interferes with the rights of others,” he wrote in his judgment, issuing an injunction sought by four opposition parties.
Updated
Brazil had 14,598 new cases of coronavirus reported in the past 24 hours and 267 deaths, the country’s health ministry said.
The South American country has now registered 21,939,196 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 610,491, according to ministry data, Reuters reports.
The Russian government has published a draft proposal to require QR codes as proof of immunity to Covid-19 from air and railway travellers up to 1 June.
The government will decide later on the date when the rule would be implemented, transport minister Vitaly Savelyev said at a briefing broadcasted on Friday, Reuters reports.
“Specific medical documentation... will have to be presented during the purchase of tickets and at the boarding whether it is a plane or a railway carriage,” Savelyev said.
The proposed laws, which have yet to be approved by the parliament, suggest that, starting from 1 February, QR codes may be also needed to enter public places, including restaurants, but this set of restrictions may differ from region to region depending on the local infection rate.
Updated
The UK government does not expect the pandemic to be over for at least another year and in a worst case scenario lockdowns could be needed until 2026, according to the i newspaper.
It said officials are working to three scenarios of how the pandemic might play out - optimistic, middle and pessimistic.
In response, a government spokesperson said: “As a responsible government, we prepare for all eventualities, regularly reviewing risk and contingency planning in light of the current situation and developments, and prioritising operations accordingly.
“This is necessary to identify and prepare for any potential risks which could emerge in the future”.
Austria’s government said it wanted a nationwide lockdown for those not vaccinated against or recovered from the coronavirus while Vienna authorities said they would start vaccinating children as young as five, AFP reports.
Only around 65 percent of the population is fully vaccinated in Austria, a rate described by chancellor Alexander Schallenberg as “shamefully low”.
Salzburg and Upper Austria states, which have seen some of the worst case rates, are already introducing a lockdown for the unvaccinated from Monday.
This means they will not be able to leave the house except for reasons such as buying essential supplies, exercise or seeking medical care.
“The aim is clear: we want on Sunday to give the green light for a nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated,” Schallenberg told a press conference.
He said lockdowns across the country would be enforced with “random” spot checks.
Updated
A group of around 100 anti-lockdown protesters in The Netherlands gathered outside the government building in The Hague.
Several people were detained for setting off fireworks and throwing objects at the police, Reuters reports.
It comes after the government announced it will return to a partial lockdown from Saturday after the government ordered restaurants and shops to close early and barred spectators from major sporting events.
Supermarkets and non-essential retailers will also close earlier and social distancing measures will be re-imposed.
The government recommended that no more than four visitors be received at home, effective immediately.
Updated
Queensland in Australia may have passed its 80% first-dose milestone, bringing a string of freedoms for the vaccinated there, but those stuck across the border still face a lengthy road back home this Christmas.
The only way in is by air until the next vaccination targets are due to be met on 17 December, leaving thousands of residents stuck interstate with their cars. Even then, a question mark remains over how border checks will be implemented once Queensland reopens to interstate travellers.
If you are planning a trip to Queensland, it would pay to read the fine print. Here’s what you need to know.
More than 27 million Americans have had a Covid-19 booster shot, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, Reuters reports.
Psaki added: “In the past week, we’re averaging nearly 300,000 first shots per day for people aged 12 and over”, up from less than 250,000 first jabs per day in mid-July, before president Biden first discussed vaccine requirements.
Updated
Evening summary
Here is a recap of some of the main developments from today:
- The Netherlands will return to partial lockdown amid surging Covid cases - the first lockdown in western Europe this winter. Taking effect from Saturday evening for three weeks, restaurants and non-essential shops will close early and spectators will be barred from major sporting events, as the country tackles record infections and intensive care admissions. Social distancing will be reintroduced, as many people as possible should work from home, and no more than four visitors over the age of 13 will be permitted in people’s homes, the prime minister, Mark Rutte, announced.
- Elderly and vulnerable people must get their booster jabs if a rise in Covid cases in the UK is to be prevented, the British prime minister said, as he warned of “storm clouds” forming over parts of Europe where infections are surging. Speaking in a broadcast clip, Boris Johnson said the situation was of concern. “I’m seeing the storm clouds gathering over parts of the European continent. And I’ve got to be absolutely frank with people: we’ve been here before. We remember what happens when the wave starts rolling in,” he said. Story here.
- AstraZeneca has started signing commercial contracts to supply its Covid-19 vaccine next year as the pandemic moves to an “endemic phase” – in a major shift away from the drugmaker’s not-for-profit pricing. Britain’s biggest pharma firm expects the vaccine to move to “modest profitability” as new orders are received. But the chief executive, Pascal Soriot, insisted that it was offering affordable and tiered pricing, depending on countries’ ability to pay. He said the vaccine, developed with Oxford University, would not become “a huge profit earner”. Story here.
-
Latvia’s parliament voted to ban lawmakers who refuse to get a Covid vaccine from voting on legislature and participating in discussions and to dock their pay. Latvia has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the EU. The restrictions on vaccine-rejecting MPs was supported by 62 of its 100 lawmakers, and will last from Monday until mid-2022.
- Germany’s health minister, Jens Spahn, said the country faces a “bitter December” if immediate measures are not taken to try to control the spread of coronavirus. Against a backdrop of record infection rates, Spahn announced a return to free testing from Saturday and plans to introduce a so-called 2G-plus rule, according to which people would have to be vaccinated or recovered in addition to producing a negative test in order to attend cultural, sporting and other gatherings. The German government also declared Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary as high-risk areas and advised Germans to avoid travelling there.
- The head of Germany’s Robert Koch Institute advised Germans to avoid large gatherings amid the record surge in coronavirus infections, saying: “It’s five minutes past midnight.” Germany’s weekly infection rate has soared to an all-time high of 263.7 per 100,000 people, and intensive care beds are filling up rapidly. With Christmas market season approaching, Wieler said large gatherings “must be viewed very critically” and in some situations “clearly should be cancelled”. Prof Lothar Wieler added that he would be skipping next month’s New Year’s parties, “but I urge people not to wait until then to think about their actions”.
-
Austria’s government is likely to decide on Sunday to impose a lockdown on people who have not been vaccinated against coronavirus as daily infections have surged to record levels, the chancellor, Alexander Schallenberg, said. He did not say when the lockdown would take effect, but the two provinces hardest hit by this wave of infections, Upper Austria and Salzburg, have already said they will introduce the measure for themselves on Monday. Story here.
- Norway will offer a third Covid vaccine dose to everyone aged 18 or older and will give municipalities the option of using digital “corona passes” as a way to beat back an ongoing surge in infections, the government said. The country is not going back into lockdown, but new measures include a requirement for adults who have been in contact with a positive case to be tested, and unvaccinated health workers will have to be tested twice a week and wear masks.
-
Mauritius imposed a series of Covid-19 curbs today as it confronts a surge in cases despite a high vaccination rate. A month after reopening its borders to international visitors, schools were closed this week, with all classes to be held online, while bars and discos have been ordered to shut and concerts and sporting competitions banned. The government is also limiting numbers of people attending gatherings such as weddings, funerals and rallies, but said beaches would be open, although picnics are prohibited.
Updated
Dutch PM announces western Europe's first lockdown since summer
The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, has announced western Europe’s first partial Covid lockdown of this winter, with three weeks of restrictions for shops, sport and catering.
Ruttee said the move was in response to record infections and rising intensive care cases.
Much of the continent is facing a surge in cases, in part to be blamed on low vaccine take-up and vaccine hesitancy in several countries.
Rutte said that fortunately the vast majority of people in the Netherlands had been vaccinated. But the three-week partial lockdown will start on Saturday evening.
Non-essential shops will have to close at 6pm; cafes, restaurants and hotels at 8pm. Professional sport will continue but behind closed doors, including the Netherlands’ football World Cup qualifier against Norway on 16 November, and cinemas and theatres will stay open.
Social distancing of 1.5 metres will be reintroduced, and a maximum of four guests over the age of 13 will be allowed at people’s homes. As many people should work from home as possible.
Updated
Elderly and vulnerable people must get their booster jabs if a rise in Covid cases in the UK is to be prevented, the prime minister said, as he warned of “storm clouds” forming over parts of Europe.
Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Croatia are among countries that have recently had a surge in coronavirus cases, with the former recording its highest coronavirus case numbers since the start of the pandemic.
Speaking in a broadcast clip, Boris Johnson said the situation was of concern. “I’m seeing the storm clouds gathering over parts of the European continent. And I’ve got to be absolutely frank with people: we’ve been here before. We remember what happens when the wave starts rolling in,” he said.
The World Health Organization’s Europe head, Hans Kluge, has said a lack of uptake of Covid vaccines is behind the increase.
While Johnson noted that cases in the UK had been “drifting down for a while”, he said it was unclear if the trend was set to continue. “I’m looking at what’s happening overseas, and I’m simply saying to the British people … this is the moment to get your booster,” he said.
The full story is here:
Updated
World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Friday they were hoping to convene a meeting soon to set guidelines on the use of Covid antiviral pills, saying they offered “very attractive” new prospects for clinical care.
The UK became the first country to approve one of the potentially game-changing pills earlier this month.
Janet Diaz, the WHO’s top official for clinical care responses, said that a meeting of its guidelines development group would consider the question of coronavirus pills in a forthcoming meeting in three weeks.
Another WHO official Mike Ryan said preliminary findings on the pills was “very, very welcome”, adding that a “careful process” was required before the therapies should be expanded more broadly.
“Clearly, having a second-line approach of being able to treat those who do get infected is very attractive and being able to save lives in that manner is very attractive,” he said.
Last week Pfizer said its experimental antiviral pill to treat Covid cut by 89% the chance of hospitalisation or death for adults at risk of severe disease.
At the same briefing, the WHO principal legal officer, Steven Solomon, said that talks on an international treaty to boost pandemic preparedness were advancing before a major meeting of the body later this month.
“There is good reason to believe they [WHO members] will come to a successful conclusion,” he said.
Discussions are also advancing on a potential emergency use listing for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, the WHO’s Mariangela Simao said, adding that further inspections were required. “The process is moving again, which is very good news,” she said.
Updated
The UK has reported 40,375 more cases of Covid-19 and 145 further deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official data. On a seven-day basis, cases are down 6.5% on the week before, while deaths are down 8.9%.
'Storm clouds gathering over Europe' could be seen in UK, Johnson says
Boris Johnson has said that the rising Covid cases in Europe could be seen in the UK if people do not get their booster jabs fast enough.
The prime minister said:
I’m seeing the storm clouds gathering over parts of the European continent and I’ve got to be absolutely frank with people, we’ve been here before and we remember what happened when a wave starts rolling in.
The UK has built up a huge amount of protection thanks to the vaccine rollout and people’s amazing willingness to come forward and get jabbed.
What I’m saying today is the urgency of getting that booster jab is more prevalent than ever.
If you can get it, it’s a great thing, the levels of protection it gives you are terrific, so over 50s we’re now calling forward, they should come and get it.
What I’m also saying is if we don’t do it fast enough we can see the potential risks to the state of the pandemic and what’s happening in other parts of Europe.
Sky News has the story.
Updated
Rates of infection, hospital admissions and deaths in the UK from Covid could remain high for many weeks or months even if a natural peak has been reached, a leading coronavirus expert has said, as data suggests the decline in cases may have stalled.
According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics an estimated one in 60 people in the community in England had Covid in the week ending 6 November – about 925,400 people.
That’s a decline since late October, when one in 50 people in England were thought to have a Covid infection. A drop has also been recorded in Wales, although in Scotland the rate of people testing positive has remained level and the trend is unclear in Northern Ireland.
While the decline in England was across all age groups and in most regions of the country, it appears the trend is strongest among older children.
However, the question remains whether infection levels will rise once more now schools have returned from recent half-terms, or whether – as some have argued – growing levels of immunity in children could mean a peak has been reached.
“With a marked decrease in infections among secondary schoolchildren in England, the half-term break may have played a part, though infections were decreasing prior to this time,” said Sarah Crofts, the head of analytical outputs for the Covid-19 infection survey. “Over the next few weeks we will see if this decline continues.”
More on this story here:
Updated
Enrico Rossi was among the protesters in Bardonecchia when the Italian government decided in February to maintain a Covid shutdown on ski resorts just hours before the slopes were due to reopen.
Rossi described the loss of the ski season as a tragedy for the small town and others in Susa valley, Piedmont, especially after the 2020 season had also been cut short.
But as the resort prepares to reopen in early December, he is cautiously optimistic. “Three times during last year’s season we were ready to start – we prepared the slopes, hired staff – only for it all to get cancelled,” said Rossi, who is vice-president of Bardonecchia’s tourism consortium. “It was very disappointing. But the prospects for this year are looking good. Bookings are coming in, mainly from Italy, and the pandemic situation is different; let’s hope nothing changes.”
Some Italian ski slopes have already opened, albeit with the requirement to present the Covid-19 health pass when using ski lifts, reduced capacity in cabins and social-distancing measures at ticket offices. Masks must be worn on ski lifts and in “common areas” as part of the protocols agreed by the Italian ski industry.
“Customers aren’t complaining – the desire to ski is much greater than the annoyance of having to abide by the rules,” said Herbert Tovagliari, the president and chief executive of Cervinia Spa, a travel and tourism company in Aosta valley.
Read the full story here:
Updated
Latvia bans unvaccinated lawmakers from voting and docks their pay
Latvia’s parliament voted on Friday to ban lawmakers who refuse to get a Covid vaccine from voting on legislature and participating in discussions, Reuters reports.
The country, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in European Union, was the first in the bloc to reimpose a lockdown this autumn as a surge in Covid cases threatens to overwhelm its health system.
The restrictions on vaccine-rejecting lawmakers, which includes docking their pay, was supported by 62 of its 100 lawmakers, and will last from Monday until mid-2022.
State television reported that nine MPs have rejected the vaccine.
The ban on unvaccinated MPs in parliament was necessary to promote public confidence in the government’s policies to control Covid infections, the legislation’s sponsor, the lawmaker Janis Rancans, was cited as saying by the parliamentary press service.
The country of 1.9 million people has reported 236,765 infections and 3,646 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began.
Updated
Britain’s GSK and its partner, Vir, said on Friday their antibody-based Covid drug was shown in trial to work as well when given as a shot in the arm as via the standard infusion, potentially offering more convenience, Reuters reports.
GSK said it would now speak to global regulators, including the US Food and Drug Administration, about potential approval for the new method of administration, known as intramuscular injection, which can be carried out by family doctors and spare patients a trip to hospital.
Sotrovimab is authorised for emergency use in the US to prevent mild or moderate cases of Covid from worsening. The European Medicines Agency has given its go-ahead for use by member states, though EU-wide approval is still outstanding.
Similar products are offered or being developed by Eli Lilly, Regeneron and AstraZeneca.
Eli Lilly’s therapy is so far given only by infusion, or drip. AstraZeneca’s antibody drug, under review to possibly prevent infections, is delivered by intramuscular shot only.
Regeneron and Roche’s product can be given as an infusion or injection under the skin, typically in the abdomen.
Updated
Germany’s outgoing health minister, Jens Spahn, has said the country faces a “bitter December” if immediate measures are not taken to try to control the spread of coronavirus.
Spahn announced a return to free testing from Saturday and plans to introduce a so-called 2G Plus rule, according to which people would have to be vaccinated or recovered in addition to producing a negative test in order to attend cultural, sporting and other gatherings.
The government declared neighbouring Austria, Czech Republic and Hungary to be high-risk areas, recommending Germans avoid travelling there.
Germany recorded a record infection rate for three days in a row this week. On Friday a further almost 49,000 cases were registered, slightly down on the previous day. But numbers are doubling every week and some hospitals are reporting being on the verge of not being able to cope.
The government’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, called for the cancellation of major events, just as the carnival season gets under way and the Christmas markets are about to open.
Its head, Prof Lothar Wieler, speaking at a joint press conference this morning in Berlin with Spahn, said the fourth wave “is rolling on full power” describing the situation as “five minutes past 12”.
He added: “I for one will not be going to any New Years Eve party.”
In an effort to boost a flagging vaccine campaign, including encouraging top-up jabs, Spahn said doctors would receive €28 instead of €20 per jab, and a further bonus of €8 for jabs given at the weekend.
In the Netherlands, the government was expected to announce new lockdown measures on Friday after a record number of daily infections there – 16,364 – were registered.
According to media reports, there are plans for a three-week raft of restrictions including a 7pm closing time for restaurants, pubs and non-essential shops and a restriction on the size of private gatherings in households to just four additional people.
In Saxony, eastern Germany, where some of the highest numbers are being registered and the state with the lowest number of vaccinated people, similar to Thuringia and Bavaria, most unvaccinated there was anger on Friday after the state leader, Michael Kretschmer, called for the cancellation of Christmas markets for the second year in a row, which were due to open from next week.
This is recognised as potentially politically disastrous as the markets have a symbolic value in Germany as high as foreign holidays and a huge economic clout.
Meanwhile, in Cologne, the mayor has defended her decision to allow the carnival season to begin. Carnival-related events were seen as mass spreader opportunities at the start of the pandemic.
As more focus turns to administering a booster campaign - public messaging on which has been virtually non-existent so far, the Max Planck Institute said a rollout could help to break this fourth wave, which, owing to the spread of the Delta variant, is more aggressive than any previous wave.
Meanwhile, the Marburger Bund, the association representing a large number of German doctors has reported that its members are facing increasing aggression from patients in hospitals, particularly from those who have chosen not to be vaccinated.
There are growing reports of patients attacking doctors verbally and physically and of some demanding a range of alternative therapies that are not usually available under the public healthcare system.
Updated
Germans told to avoid large gatherings as top scientist says it is 'five past midnight' on new Covid wave
Germans should avoid large gatherings amid a record surge in coronavirus infections, the country’s health agency chief said on Friday, adding that he would be skipping next month’s new year’s parties.
“It’s five minutes past midnight,” said Prof Lothar Wieler, the head of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), as the country was braced for new restrictions to contain a ferocious fourth Covid wave.
Related: Scholz pushes new measures to tackle Germany’s rising Covid cases
Germany registered more than 48,000 new cases over the past 24 hours, RKI data showed, a day after breaching the 50,000 mark for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
The weekly infection rate has soared to an all-time high of 263.7 per 100,000 people, and intensive care beds are filling up rapidly.
Several German cities kicked off months-long carnival celebrations on Thursday, with revellers required to prove they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid before entering the party zones.
The country’s much-loved Christmas market season is also on its way.
Related: German Christmas markets face second year of closures as Covid rates soar
But Wieler said large gatherings “must be viewed very critically” and in some situations “clearly should be cancelled”.
Indoor celebrations especially can act as super-spreader events “and everyone must really think about whether they want to expose themselves to that risk,” he told reporters in Berlin.
I personally won’t be attending New Year’s Eve parties. But I urge people not to wait until then to think about their actions.
Germany’s Covid surge has been blamed on a relatively low vaccination rate, with just over 67% of the population of 83 million people fully inoculated.
Related: Covid: Germany enveloped in ‘massive’ pandemic of the unvaccinated
Other European countries are battling similar Covid resurgences.
Austria has introduced rules that bar unvaccinated people from certain events and indoor venues. The Netherlands is planning a renewed “partial lockdown” as cases hit record levels.
The German health minister, Jens Spahn, speaking alongside Wieler, said the situation in the country “is serious”.
He recommended that large gatherings be made safer by requiring the vaccinated and recovered to test negative before taking part, while barring the unvaccinated altogether - a system known as 2G Plus in Germany.
Germany would re-introduce free rapid coronavirus testing for all in coming days, he added [see 10.07.am.].
The federal government and leaders of Germany’s 16 regional states are meeting next Thursday to discuss joint measures to combat the pandemic, after criticism of a confusing patchwork of different restrictions emerging.
Among the proposed measures are stricter curbs on the unvaccinated, for instance by excluding them from indoor dining or venues such as cinemas, gyms and theatres , which some states are already doing.
“We must do everything needed to break the current trend,” Spahn said, adding:
Otherwise the nation will experience a bitter December.
Updated
AstraZeneca has said it would begin to earn a modest profit from its coronavirus vaccine as the world learns to live with the virus and the drugmaker is in talks with several countries about new orders for delivery next year, Reuters reports.
AstraZeneca made a commitment to sell the shot developed with Oxford University at cost during the pandemic, and in a press conference on Friday it said low-income countries would continue to receive the vaccine on a no-profit basis, while a post-pandemic commercial approach would apply to other new orders even as infections in Europe rise again.
The Anglo-Swedish company’s third-quarter results showed the vaccine contributed one cent to core earnings per share of $1.08, a rise of 14%. Total product sales jumped 49% to $9.74 billion, as its vaccine sales topped $1bn.
“We started this project to help ... but we also said that at some stage in the future, we will transition to commercial orders,” the chief executive, Pascal Soriot, told journalists.
It will never be high priced. Because we want the vaccine to remain affordable to everybody around the world.
Soriot said the virus was becoming endemic, a term for a background level of infections that is part of everyday life.
Talks about new orders with undisclosed countries were under way, mainly for delivery next year, with some prospective customers focusing on booster shots, he said.
AstraZeneca announced plans this week to set up a separate unit to focus on its coronavirus efforts and other respiratory infections. It said on Friday the unit would independently manage production and distribution.
Shares of the FTSE 100 drugmaker were down 3.4% at about £91.22 at 1209 GMT as overall third-quarter profit fell short of analysts’ expectations.
AstraZeneca said a profit boost from the vaccine in the fourth quarter would make up for costs related to its antibody cocktail for preventing and treating Covid, as it stuck with its earnings forecast for the year.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine has had a tumultuous journey, with its not-for-profit strategy and challenges around efficacy data, supplies and links to rare blood clots, fuelling speculation on whether it would want to keep the business in the long term.
The drugmaker and its Indian manufacturing partner, Serum Institute, have supplied more than 1.5bn vaccine doses as of the end of September, compared with more than 2 billion from the rival alliance of Pfizer/BioNTech.
Pfizer this month forecast 2021 and 2022 sales from its Covid vaccine of at least $65bn overall, topping estimates. However, Moderna slashed its 2021 sales outlook for its shot by as much as $5bn owing to production hiccups.
Including sales from the vaccine in the fourth quarter, AstraZeneca expects 2021 revenues to grow by a mid-to-high 20s percentage. It previously expected sales to grow by a low-20s percentage excluding the shot.
Analysts, on average, were expecting third-quarter profit of $1.28 per share on sales of $9.4bn, according to Refinitiv IBES data.
Updated
Austria plans to approve lockdown for the unvaccinated on Sunday
Austria’s government is likely to decide on Sunday to impose a lockdown on people who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus as daily infections have surged to record levels, the chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said on Friday.
Schallenberg did not say when the lockdown would take effect, but the two provinces hardest-hit by this wave of infections, Upper Austria and Salzburg, have said they will introduce the measure for themselves on Monday.
Roughly 65% of Austria’s population is fully vaccinated against Covid, one of the lowest rates in western Europe. Many Austrians are sceptical about vaccines, a view encouraged by the far-right Freedom Party, the third-biggest in parliament.
“The aim is very clear: that we give the green light this Sunday for a nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated,” Schallenberg told a news conference, adding that intensive-care units are increasingly strained.
“The development is such that I do not think it is sensible to wait ... We will take this step now and my wish is that we take this step on Sunday and nationally for all nine provinces.”
Schallenberg said on Thursday those not fully vaccinated would face the same restrictions on their daily movements that the whole country endured in three lockdowns last year.
He said he wants to avoid a repeat of such restrictions on the whole population.
More on this story here:
Updated
One in 60 in private households in England had Covid last week
Covid-19 infection levels continue to fall across the UK, according to new data.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that about one in 60 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to 6 November, down from one in 50 the previous week.
One in 60 is the equivalent of about 925,400 people and is slightly below the proportion who were estimated to have coronavirus at the peak of the second wave in early January, suggesting infection levels are still high.
In Wales, about one in 45 people is estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week to 6 November, down from one in 40 the previous week.
In Northern Ireland, the figure is about one in 75 people, down from one in 65 the previous week.
In Scotland it is one in 85, down from one in 80 the previous week.
The ONS said rates in England have decreased in the latest week for all age groups, except for those from school year 12 to age 24 and for people aged 35 to 49, where the trend is uncertain.
Rates remained highest for those in school years seven to 11, at 4.8%.
Updated
Norway reinstates Covid measures and plans third vaccine dose for all adults
Norway will offer a third Covid vaccine dose to everyone aged 18 or older and will give municipalities the option of using digital “corona passes” as a way to beat back an ongoing surge in infections, the government has said.
In late September, Norway ended the last of its coronavirus lockdown measures, which for 18 months had restricted social interaction and hobbled many businesses.
The country is not going back into lockdown however, Støre, told a news conference.
The new measures include a requirement for adults who have been in contact with a positive case to be tested, and unvaccinated health workers will have to be tested twice a week and wear masks.
Local restrictions had reappeared in recent days in Norway, with daily cases at around 1,500 in a country of 5.4 million people.
The government will also propose a third vaccine dose for people over 18.
According to data from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 87.2% of the adult population has been fully inoculated against Covid-19, and 91.5% have had a first dose, but infections and hospitalisations are rising rapidly.
Norway uses vaccines made by BioNTech, Pfizer and Moderna in its national rollout, which since September includes everyone aged 12 and over.
• This post was amended on 12 November 2021 to correct the vaccination rates for Norway.
Updated
Mauritius has imposed a raft of Covid-19 curbs today as it confronts surge in cases despite a high vaccination rate, Agence France-Presse reports.
The prime minister, Pravind Jugnauth, announced the restrictions in a televised address to the country on Thursday, blaming people who were not abiding by health protocols for the increase in infections. He said:
The state alone will not be able to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Mauritius had fully opened its doors to international visitors at the start of October, hoping to rebuild its vital tourism industry after months of isolation because of the pandemic.
But according to latest figures reported to the World Health Organization on Friday, Mauritius has registered 18,979 cases and 240 deaths compared with about 15,695 infections and 84 deaths on 1 October.
Many of the new cases are linked to the Delta variant, according to the health ministry.
Schools were closed this week, with all classes to be held online, while bars and discos have been ordered to shut and concerts and sporting competitions banned.
The government is also limiting numbers of people attending gatherings such as weddings, funerals and rallies, but said beaches would be open, although picnics are prohibited.
In his address, Jugnauth highlighted the importance of the Covid jab and urged people to receive booster shots.
The health minister, Kailesh Jagutpal, said last week that more than 67% of the population had received two vaccine doses.
But he told parliament on Tuesday that since the start of the year, 61 fully vaccinated people had died in hospital in Mauritius.
Updated
Good morning from London. I’m Lucy Campbell, I’ll be bringing you all the latest global developments on the coronavirus pandemic for the next eight hours. Please feel free to get in touch with me as I work if you have a story or tips to share! Your thoughts are always welcome.
Email: lucy.campbell@theguardian.com
Twitter: @lucy_campbell_
Today so far
- The Netherlands will become the first western European country to impose a partial lockdown since the summer, Dutch media have reported, introducing strict new measures from Saturday after record numbers of new Covid-19 infections.
- The restrictions, to be announced by the prime minister, Mark Rutte, on Friday evening and to last at least three weeks, include the closure of bars, restaurants and non-essential shops from 7pm, the public broadcaster NOS said.
- Austria is to place millions of people not fully vaccinated in lockdown within days as infections soar to record highs and intensive care units experience increasing strain. The worst-affected province of Upper Austria plans to introduce a lockdown for the unvaccinated from Monday after recommendations from medical experts.
- Germany’s health minister, Jens Spahn, has made a series of announcements. Covid tests will become free again from Saturday, and from Tuesday doctors will be given greater financial incentive to administer vaccines. From Sunday visitors from Austria will be classed as “high-risk” and must enter quarantine upon arrival in Germany unless they have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.
- The Czech Republic reported 10,395 new Covid-19 cases for 11 November, surpassing 10,000 for the third time this week.
- Denmark has reintroduced its digital Covid pass from today, after it declared coronavirus was once again “a socially critical disease” amid an increase in domestic cases.
- Dr Bharat Pankhania, a senior clinical lecturer at Exeter University College of Medicine and Health, has said in western Europe the large pool of unvaccinated people combined with a widespread post-lockdown resumption of socialising and a slight decline in immunity for people who got their shots months ago is driving up the pace of infections.
- Russia’s case and death numbers remain at similar levels to yesterday with 40,123 new cases and 1,235 deaths. Media reports suggest a database of Russians who purchased fake coronavirus vaccine certificates has leaked online.
- China has reported the first Covid-19 cases among foreign athletes at preparatory events for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, as stringent measures to control any outbreaks are put to the test.
- The port city of Dalian has recorded China’s highest daily Covid count as the country continues to battle a fresh outbreak. The growing Covid-19 cluster has spurred the north-eastern port city to limit outbound travel, cut offline school classes and close a few cultural venues after being told by national authorities to contain the outbreak more quickly.
Lucy Campbell will be here shortly to continue bringing you the latest Covid news from the UK and around the world. I will see you on Monday – have a good weekend, take care and stay safe.
Updated
China reports first positive Covid test among athletes taking part in Winter Olympic test events
China has reported the first Covid-19 cases among foreign athletes at preparatory events for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Games, as stringent measures being put in place to control any outbreaks are put to the test.
Two lugers of the same nationality tested positive, said Huang Chun, an official of the Games organising committee. Both were transferred to quarantine hotels, he told a news briefing in the Chinese capital.
Reuters reports that Beijing’s vice-mayor previously said coronavirus would be one of the biggest challenges to the city’s hosting of the Games.
The Games will run from 4-20 February, with all participants subject to daily Covid-19 tests, and no international spectators. The Winter Paralympics will follow in March. Athletes and other Games-related personnel will also be enveloped in a “closed loop” bubble.
“We will still let the person take part in training and activities related to the games, but (the individual) needs to go though strict health monitoring and Covid-19 testing every day,” Huang said, referring to the first athlete who tested positive.
Updated
Germany to classify visitors from Austria 'high-risk', impose quarantine on unvaccinated
There’s been another announcement from Germany’s acting health minister Jens Spahn, that from Sunday visitors from Austria will be classed as “high-risk”. People travelling from Austria must enter quarantine upon arrival in Germany unless they have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19
Denmark reintroduces digital Covid pass for indoor settings from today
Denmark has reintroduced its digital Covid pass from today, after it declared the coronavirus once again “a socially critical disease” amid an increase in domestic cases.
The pass must be used for a month to enter nightclubs, cafes, party buses and to be seated indoor in restaurants. It was originally introduced on 1 July but was removed on 10 September, when the outbreak was apparently under control because of a high rate of vaccination.
People aged 15 and over must also use the pass when attending outdoor events where the number of people exceeds 2,000.
Associated Press reports that Denmark, like many other countries, has recorded an increase in cases, with health authorities saying the number of infections and hospitalisations has risen faster than expected.
On Tuesday, the Danish parliament’s all-party epidemic committee unanimously approved a decision to once again call the outbreak “a socially critical disease” and approved the reintroduction of the pass.
In addition, the Danish broadcast DR has said the government, the confederations of trade unions and employers have reached a deal making it possible for employers to demand that employees show the digital pass at work. The deal must be approved by parliament, most likely next week.
Updated
Germany to reintroduce free Covid tests from tomorrow
A very quick snap from Reuters here. Germany’s acting health minister, Jens Spahn, has made two announcements this morning at a news conference.
- Germany will reintroduce free Covid-19 tests from Saturday.
- Doctors will get higher reimbursements for administering Covid-19 vaccinations from Tuesday.
Updated
Caretaker PM Mark Rutte expected to introduce partial lockdown in Netherlands this evening
In the Netherlands, the caretaker prime minister Mark Rutte’s cabinet will take a final decision on new Covid restrictions during a meeting today, and he will announce the measures during a televised news conference scheduled for 1800 GMT.
It is expected that bars and restaurants will be ordered to close early, and sporting events will be held without audiences under a three-week partial lockdown.
The move would mark a drastic turn in policy for the Dutch government, which until last month thought a relatively high vaccination rate would mean it could further ease measures towards the end of the year.
It is unclear whether the government will adopt a more politically sensitive recommendation by its leading pandemic advisory panel to limit access to public places to people who have been fully vaccinated or have had Covid-19 after the lockdown period.
Bart Meijer sums up the situation in the Netherlands for Reuters, where new coronavirus infections in the country of 17.5 million have increased rapidly after social distancing measures were dropped in late September and hit a record of about 16,300 in 24 hours on Thursday.
Updated
Russia’s case and death numbers remain at similar levels to yesterday, as authorities wait to see whether the enforced week’s holiday last week has made any impact on the chain of transmission within the country. In the last 24 hours there were 40,123 new cases and 1,235 deaths.
In another development, the Moscow Times reports that there has been a data breach of information on people who purchased fake vaccination QR codes. They write:
A database of Russians who purchased fake coronavirus vaccine certificates has leaked online, the Kommersant business daily reported Friday, with experts warning that the buyers are now at risk of both blackmail and jail time.
With vaccine scepticism rampant, many Russians have turned to the black market to purchase counterfeit QR code passes that prove one’s vaccination or negative Covid-19 status. Nearly every Russian region now requires the passes in order to access public areas and events amid a record-breaking fourth wave of the pandemic.
The issue gained further urgency as lawmakers announced plans Thursday to mandate the QR codes nationwide and the Kremlin warned that these and other restrictions will only be lifted after the end of the coronavirus pandemic.
Updated
British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which is selling its Covid vaccine at cost price, said it had fallen into a loss in the third quarter.
The company posted a net loss of $1.65bn (£1.23bn) compared with a profit after tax of about $650m (£486m) in the third quarter last year.
Agence France-Presse reports that AstraZeneca said it experienced higher costs in the latest July-September period after its takeover of the US biotech company Alexion, as well as increased research and development expenses across multiple programmes, including its Covid treatments.
The group added that revenue from its Covid vaccine totalled $2.22bn in the year to date after the delivery of about 580m doses worldwide.
Updated
Czech Republic reports more than 10,000 new daily cases for third time this week
A quick snap from Reuters that the Czech Republic reported 10,395 new Covid-19 cases for 11 November, surpassing 10,000 for the third time this week, Health Ministry data showed on Friday.
The number of patients hospitalised with the illness dropped slightly to 3,557, with 542 in serious condition, in the country of 10.7 million.
Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer at Exeter University College of Medicine and Health, has told Associated Press that in Western Europe the large pool of unvaccinated people combined with a widespread post-lockdown resumption of socializing and a slight decline in immunity for people who got their shots months ago is driving up the pace of infections.
Many European countries now use Covid passes — proof of full vaccination, recovery from the virus or a negative test result — to access venues like bars and restaurants. Pankhania warned that the passes can give a false sense of security since fully vaccinated people can still get infected — though their chances of dying or getting seriously sick are dramatically lower.
Thanks largely to vaccination, hospitals in Western Europe are not under the same pressure they were earlier in the pandemic, but many are still straining to handle rising numbers of Covid patients while also attempting to clear backlogs of tests and surgeries with exhausted or sick staff.
Mike Corder for Associated Press writes that the question now is if countries can tamp down this latest upswing without resorting to stringent shutdowns that devastated economies, disrupted education and weighed on mental health. Experts say probably — but authorities can’t avoid all restrictions and must boost vaccination rates.
“I think the era of locking people up in their homes is over because we now have tools to control Covid — the testing, vaccines and therapeutics,” said Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh. “So I hope people will do the things they have to do, like put on a mask.”
Spain, once one of Europe’s hardest hit nations, perhaps offers an example of how the risks can be managed.
It has vaccinated 80% of its population, and while face masks are no longer mandatory outdoors, many people still wear them.
While infections have ticked up slightly recently, Rafael Bengoa, one of Spain’s leading public health experts, said that given the high vaccination rate, “the virus won’t be able to dominate us again.”
Pankhania says that no single measure will control the pandemic. “To really control it, it has to be multi-layered ... avoid crowds, avoid poorly ventilated places, be immunized, wear your mask,” he said.
Here’s the map of the latest caseloads across Europe. You can see that what started as a new wave of Covid in the east of the continent has now spread to a darker band that runs through Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, with Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Slovakia now at the highest case level.
Hello, it is Martin Belam here in London, taking over from Samantha Lock in Sydney. Just a little bit more on the situation in the Netherlands, which looks set to announce a three-week partial lockdown at a televised press conference tonight. The DutchNews.nl website has this further detail this morning:
A three-week partial lockdown is more than recommended by government health advisors, but is being seen as a trade off against other advice. The government is not planning to close cinemas and theatres – which had been suggested by the Outbreak Management Team.
Sports matches can go ahead but without supporters, NOS said. This means Tuesday evening’s World Cup qualification game between the Netherlands and Norway would take place in an empty stadium.
In the meantime, the cabinet wants to anchor other measures – such as the return of social distancing – in law, NOS said. It will take one or two weeks to get that through both houses of parliament.
Chinese port city battles growing Covid cluster
The Chinese port city of Dalian has reported China’s highest daily Covid count as the nation continues to battle the most recent outbreak since mid-October.
The growing Covid-19 cluster has spurred the northeastern port city to limit outbound travel, cut offline school classes and close a few cultural venues after being told by national authorities to contain the outbreak more quickly, Reuters reports.
Dalian reported 52 locally transmitted infections with confirmed symptoms on Thursday, more than doubling from 21 cases a day earlier, official data showed on Friday.
A total of 1,149 local cases were found in China between 17 October and 11 November. While the number is tiny compared with many outbreaks outside the country, local authorities have exerted resources to put out the flare-up with Beijing not expected to change its zero-tolerance policy any time soon.
“Various measures should be quickened and their quality should be improved, in order to get the outbreak under control in a shorter amount of time and to minimise the outbreak’s impact on manufacturing and life of the general public,” the National Health Commission said on Thursday, citing a meeting chaired by the commission’s director in Dalian.
The Netherlands considers imposing partial lockdown
The Dutch government is considering whether to impose a partial lockdown to curb a surge in Covid infections.
The Netherlands reported another 16,364 new cases and 26 deaths on Thursday, jumping to the highest level since the start of the pandemic. The surge follows the lifting of social distancing measures in late September.
The government’s pandemic advisory panel has recommended imposing a partial lockdown, shutting down theatres and cinemas, scrapping large events and closing cafes and restaurants earlier, broadcaster NOS reported. Schools would however remain open.
Hospitals in the southern province of Limburg — the hardest-hit Dutch region — sounded the alarm earlier this week in a letter to the health ministry, saying: “We are heading straight for a healthcare blockage and the entire system is grinding to a standstill.”
Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s cabinet will discuss the advice during an emergency meeting on Thursday night, and will announce its decisions during a televised press conference scheduled for Friday, Reuters reports.
Welcome back to our live Covid coverage.
I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the top headlines from around the world for the next few hours.
For the past few weeks, many European countries have been eyeing Covid case numbers with mounting trepidation and concerns over whether to reinstate lockdowns.
Austria and the Netherlands may be the first to do so in western Europe with the former set to place millions of people not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in lockdown in a matter of days as infections soar to record highs and intensive care units face an increasing strain.
The country’s worst-affected province of Upper Austria plans to introduce a lockdown for the unvaccinated from Monday next week
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said: “I don’t see why two-thirds should lose their freedom because one-third is dithering. For me, it is clear that there should be no lockdown for the vaccinated out of solidarity for the unvaccinated.”
A summary of recent developments:
- The Netherlands recorded more than 16,364 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the pandemic. Dutch health experts have called on the government to impose a partial lockdown to fight the increase in cases.
- Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Olaf Scholz has pushed ahead with a plan to phase out a state of national emergency by the end of the month, despite the country recording a record-high number of 50,196 new daily coronavirus cases on Thursday.
- Australia passes the 90% first dose vaccination milestone for those aged 16 and over.
- Brazil reports 188 Covid deaths in past 24 hours and 15,300 new cases of the coronavirus.
- Sweden has seen a sharp decline in Covid testing this month after its health agency said vaccinated Swedes no longer need to get tested, even if they have symptoms.
- Russia reported 1,237 Covid deaths, close to a record one-day toll recorded the previous day, amid a nationwide surge in cases. Authorities said they are preparing new restrictions.
- Protests continue in Zagreb, Croatia, for the fourth day against obligatory certificates for the public sector as the country’s Covid-19 cases hit a record high.
- The UK reported another 42,408 Covid cases and a further 195 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.
- Morgues are filling up in Romania and Bulgaria as the countries record the EU’s highest daily death rates from Covid-19, after superstition, misinformation and entrenched mistrust in governments and institutions combined to leave them the least vaccinated countries in the bloc.
- EU drug regulator lists rare spinal condition as side-effect of Johnson & Johnson Covid shot. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was also assessing reports of a rare blood condition known as capillary leak syndrome (CLS) following inoculation with Moderna’s vaccine.
- Moderna has offered to sell its vaccines to the African Union at $7 a shot, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control said.
- Covaxin, the first Covid-19 vaccine developed in India, is “highly efficacious” and presents no safety concerns, according to a recent study published in the Lancet.
-
Austria saw a record high of daily infections as intensive-care units are increasingly strained. About 65% of Austria’s population is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the lowest rate of any western European country apart from Liechtenstein.
- The UK government’s vaccine mandate for care home workers came into effect as about 50,000 care home staff have not been fully vaccinated in England and will not be allowed to work from Thursday.
- Israel holds world’s first “war game drill” in case of an outbreak of a new lethal variant of Covid-19. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and senior aides holed up in a nuclear command bunker to simulate an outbreak, describing such an eventuality as “the next war”.
Updated
