Category Archives: Covid-19

People queue at a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tests tent at the Stadtspital Triemli hospital in Zurich, Switzerland January 13, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

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ZURICH, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Switzerland will lift almost all its coronavirus pandemic restrictions from midnight, the government said on Wednesday, as fears waned that a spike in infections fuelled by the Omicron variant would overwhelm the health care system.

The government said only the requirement to wear masks on public transport and while visiting healthcare facilities would remain in force temporarily after the changes, which end nearly two years of restrictions on public life.

"The light on the horizon is very visible," President Ignazio Cassis told a news conference in Bern, although he added the government was ready to reimpose curbs if needed.

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"The virus is there. We are learning how to live with the virus," he said.

Mandatory five-day isolation of people who have tested positive will also remain in effect until the end of March.

But shops, restaurants and cultural institutions would be freely accessible, the government said, pressing ahead with measures it had flagged two weeks. read more

"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time", said Casimir Platzer, head of the Gastrosuisse catering sector lobby, hailing the end of a requirement for guests to show a special COVID-19 certificate to enter bars and restaurants.

More than 90% of Switzerland's population of 8.6 million people have gained protection from the virus, having either recovered from COVID-19 or been vaccinated, officials note.

Despite tens of thousands of new infections reported daily, the health care system has held up well and the occupancy of intensive care units has declined.

More than 2.6 million infections have been logged in Switzerland and neighbouring Liechtenstein since the start of the crisis. Around 12,600 people have died from the disease.

"The acute phase is over," Health Minister Alain Berset said, but he added Switzerland would maintain vaccination capacity to be on the safe side.

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Reporting by John Revill, Michael Shields and Stephanie Nebehay

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Swiss government lifts nearly all COVID-19 restrictions - Reuters

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 415.7 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths has now passed 5.83 million. More than 10.42 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

China's President Xi Jinping has told the leaders of Hong Kong SAR that their overriding mission is to stabilise and control a worsening COVID-19 outbreak, media reported on Wednesday as a fast-rising wave of infections overwhelmed authorities.

South Korea's daily count of new coronavirus cases has exceeded 90,000 for the first time. The 90,443 cases reported for Tuesday represent a surge from the 57,177 recorded a day earlier.

Singapore will expand its quarantine-free travel programme to Hong Kong SAR, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this month, its health ministry said on Wednesday, and will progressively add more destinations under the scheme.

Canada will ease entry for fully vaccinated international travellers from 28 February as COVID-19 cases decline, allowing a rapid antigen test instead of a molecular one, officials said on Tuesday.

A new wave of infections is moving towards the east of Europe, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, urging authorities to improve vaccination and other measures. Cases of COVID-19 have more than doubled recently in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said.

The Dutch government will lift most of its coronavirus restrictions on Friday, as the record levels of infections triggered by the Omicron variant have not translated to a peak in hospitalisations, Health Minister Ernst Kuipers said on Tuesday.

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in selected countries

Image: Our World in Data

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will urge her G20 counterparts to work towards ending the COVID-19 pandemic in developing countries and ensuring these nations have the resources needed to support an equitable recovery, a US Treasury official said on Tuesday.

Yellen will call on the G20 to tailor their policies to individual country's circumstances to help secure an inclusive recovery and close the gap in vaccine access for poorer countries, the official said.

This includes supporting efforts by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization to address global bottlenecks in the deployment of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, the official said.

Yellen will also urge G20 countries to support a proposed global fund housed at the World Bank to invest in pandemic prevention and preparedness, calling its estimated $75 billion cost a "bargain" compared to COVID-19's global economic and human costs.

Vaccinating pregnant women against the coronavirus may help prevent COVID-19 hospitalizations in infants after they are born, especially if the expecting mothers received the shots later in their pregnancy, US researchers reported on Tuesday.

The findings shed light on whether the benefits of vaccination during pregnancy extend to infants who would be too young to receive vaccines.

Researchers from several paediatric hospitals and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at children under six months old between July 2021 and January 2022.

The study analyzed data from 379 hospitalized infants 176 with COVID-19 and 203 who were admitted for other issues. It found that COVID-19 vaccines were 61% effective overall at preventing hospitalizations in children whose mothers were vaccinated during pregnancy.

That protection rose to 80% when the mothers were vaccinated between 21 weeks and 14 days before delivery. Vaccination effectiveness fell to 32% for babies whose mothers were inoculated earlier during pregnancy.

However, the study's authors warned that the estimates for effectiveness earlier in pregnancy should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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COVID-19: Top news stories about the pandemic on 16 February - World Economic Forum

After having Covid, people were 55 percent more likely to be taking prescribed antidepressants and 65 percent more likely to be taking prescribed anti-anxiety medications than contemporaries without Covid, the study found.

Overall, more than 18 percent of the Covid patients received a diagnosis of or prescription for a neuropsychiatric issue in the following year, compared with less than 12 percent of the non-Covid group. Covid patients were 60 percent more likely to fall into those categories than people who didnt have Covid, the study found.

The study found that patients hospitalized for Covid were more likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues than those with less serious coronavirus infections. But people with mild initial infections were still at greater risk than people without Covid.

Some people always argue that Oh, well, maybe people are depressed because they needed to go to the hospital and they spent like a week in the I.C.U., said the senior author of the study, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System and a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis. In people who werent hospitalized for Covid-19, the risk was lower but certainly significant. And most people dont need to be hospitalized, so that is really the group thats representative of most people with Covid-19.

The team also compared mental health diagnoses for people hospitalized for Covid with those hospitalized for any other reason. Whether people were hospitalized for heart attacks or chemotherapy or whatever other conditions, the Covid-19 group exhibited a higher risk, Dr. Al-Aly said.

The study involved electronic medical records of 153,848 adults who tested positive for the coronavirus between March 1, 2020, and Jan. 15, 2021, and survived for at least 30 days. Because it was early in the pandemic, very few were vaccinated before infection. The patients were followed until Nov. 30, 2021. Dr. Al-Aly said his team was planning to analyze whether subsequent vaccination modified peoples mental health symptoms, as well as other post-Covid medical issues the group has studied.

The Covid patients were compared with more than 5.6 million patients in the Veterans system who did not test positive for the coronavirus and more than 5.8 million patients from before the pandemic, in the period spanning March 2018 through January 2019. To try to gauge the mental health impact of Covid-19 against that of another virus, the patients were also compared with about 72,000 patients who had the flu during the two and a half years before the pandemic. (Dr. Al-Aly said there were too few flu cases during the pandemic to provide a contemporaneous comparison.)

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Covid Patients May Have Higher Risk of Mental Health Problems - The New York Times

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) Governor Newsom on Thursday plans to announce the next phase of Californias COVID-19 response.

According to officials, the comprehensive plan will emphasize flexibility, awareness and readiness as our state transitions from reacting to a pandemic to living with COVID-19.

A focus of the plan is keeping schools and businesses open and safe, officials added.

The announcement comes after the state lifted indoor mask requirements for vaccinated people, with local governments having the power to continue their own indoor masking requirements.

All Bay Area counties except Santa Clara County lifted indoor mask mandates on Feb. 15.

Were looking back at the last two years what worked, what didnt, what weve all learned on the journey weve been on together, Newsom said during a press conference Feb. 9. That includes reviewing the impact on people and businesses from Californias rules, regulations and requirements, he said.

The new approach, he said, allows for the kind of flexibility of thinking that is incumbent upon all of us as it relates to dealing with any endemic, particularly one as stubborn as COVID.

It will still include quarantines, testing of those who dont show symptoms and other precautions, but those safeguards will vary based on what he said are more than a dozen guideposts and measurements designed to spot new surges and virus variants.

It also will include a continued emphasis on vaccinations and booster shots that can prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death, he said.

We still have a lot of work to do to convince people that they should still get vaccinated, let alone boosted, he said.

Nearly 74% of Californians age 5 and up arefully vaccinatedand another nearly 9% are partially vaccinated. About 55% have had booster shots.

Another part of the approach will confront not only misinformation about the virus and vaccinations, but what he called overt disinformation that continues to be perpetuated by individuals, organizations, networks in this country that continue to put peoples lives at risk.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Newsom to announce next phase of Californias COVID-19 response - KRON4

Milwaukee's Summerfestis not planning to require masks, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results for entry in 2022, officials with parent company Milwaukee World Festival Inc. announced Wednesday.

The country's largest music festival canceled for the first time in its 54-year history in 2020 because of the pandemic drew mixed reactions for putting requirements inplace duringlast year's September festival.

In doing so last year, Summerfest was following the lead of other festivals, including Lollapalooza in Chicago, which implemented safety protocolsas cases began to grow again due to the delta variant. Beyond requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test for all guests, Summerfestofficials also required children under 12 to wear a mask in 2021, although that rule was not enforced.

For this year's festival taking place June 23 to 25, June 30 to July 2 and July 7 to 9 such requirements are not planned.

"MWF will monitor the situation and continue to work closely with health experts, while following local guidelines," festival officials said in a news release Wednesday that announced Rod Stewart's festival headlining performance at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater July 7.

More: Rod Stewart is headlining Summerfest as part of his 38-city summer tour, his first Milwaukee show in 10 years

More: These are all the arena, amphitheater and stadium concerts happening in Milwaukee in 2022

The news camea day after California's Coachella, arguably the country's most prestigious music festival, and itssister event Stagecoach announced that they would have no COVID-19-related protocols for their April events.

In addition to Stewart, Summerfest 2022 has revealed three other headliners for the amphitheater, which completed a $51.3 million renovation last year.

Jason Aldean will headline on opening night, with Gabby Barrett opening. Justin Bieber will play the amphitheater June 24, with openers Jaden, Harry Hudson and To?, a show initially scheduled for 2020, before COVID-19 forced the tour to postpone and Summerfest to cancel.And Halsey, who originally booked Summerfest shows in 2020 and 2021 before canceling their tours, will perform at the amphitheater July 2 with the Marias and Abby Roberts opening.

ContactPiet at (414) 223-5162 orplevy@journalsentinel.com. Followhim on Twitter at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.

Piet also talks concerts, local music and more on "TAP'd In" with Evan Rytlewski. Hear it at 8 a.m. Thursdays on WYMS-FM (88.9), or wherever you get your podcasts.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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Milwaukee's Summerfest will not require masks, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative tests in 2022 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Sen. John Thune wants federal mask requirements for children under the age of 5 to be stopped immediately.

Thune said a Head Start program in his hometown of Murdo was one of the first to complain about November requirements for masking and COVID-19 vaccination to receive federal funding. A lawsuit where South Dakota was listed as a plaintiff blocked the enforcement of the mandate.

South Dakotas senior U.S. Senator and the Senate Republican Whip has introduced a resolution to stop a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) interim final rule (IFR) that requires all staff and volunteers in Head Start educational facilities around the country to be fully vaccinated and wear a mask.

Thune, who is running for reelection and a fourth term, told KELOLAND News the federal government shouldnt be mandating masks or vaccines.

In my view at least, those are decisions that are better left to individuals in consultation with health care providers, doctors and their families, Thune said. These mask mandates just need to be done away with, particularly with kids under 5. The Biden Administration for whatever reason doesnt seem to get that.

He said he hopes the Senate gets a chance to vote on his resolution to end the Head Start mandates, which also requires children two years of age and older to wear a mask.

Its very frustrating, I think right now, to parents around this county partly because they want to be the ones who are in charge with their kids and partly because there isnt any science that shows, particularly with kids under 5, that masks make a considerable difference, Thune said.

As new coronavirus cases continue to drop nationwide, Thune said the federal government should remain prepared with more testing and keep vaccines available for people in case another variant causes a rise in cases and strains health systems.

Thune said getting rid of mandates would allow people to exercise their freedoms coupled with individual responsibility.

He pointed out the lack of masks at the Super Bowl in Los Angeles and added mask requirements at airports can also be frustrating.

My hope would be that the federal government, the transportation safety administration (TSA) would start to lift some of those mandates and people could start living normal lives again, Thune said. It permeates in a lot of different places in a lot of different levels in our society today. Whats most troubling and problematic is the impact it has on younger kids, particularly those kids under 5.

According to the Federal Election Commission, three other Republicans and one Democrat have registered and filed a financial report for the 2022 U.S. Senate election.KELOLAND News reached out to all the declared candidates for discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses will be added to this story.,

Brian Bengs, a former military attorney and Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate, said he, like many people, is burned out with COVID-19. However, Bengs said the pandemic isnt done yet and hed only support allowing more discretion with COVID-related mandates.

Bengs said he wouldnt support getting rid of mask mandates for air travel right now.

The close proximity is still a risk. What do I owe my fellow citizens? Im healthy or maybe Im not, I dont know. So do I have any obligation to my fellow citizens? I think that we do, Bengs said.

On decisions related to COVID-19, Bengs said hed follow the science and pointed to experts who study diseases and viruses at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If the CDC says we can lean back or we can lean forward, Im going to defer to what the experts say, Bengs said.

The former Northern State University professor said there has to be a plan in place to deal with future pandemics.

The biggest lesson we should take away is that public health is not a political football and it shouldnt be treated that way, Bengs said. I think the situation would be different if the death rate was a lot higher. This one has enough of a death rate that we have a huge amount of people that are no longer with us because of the situation.

Mark Mowry, a candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, said Thunes Head Start resolution is a fine start, but hed like to see all COVID-related federal mandates end.

Mowry said Thune should join six other conservative senators threatening to not support short-term government funding to avoid a government shutdown unless a vote on defunding vaccine mandates is held.

He also pointed to the Canadian truckers protesting vaccine mandates and worried truckers in the U.S. might do the same.

I believe they need to do it in Canada and I believe we need to do it in the United States as well, Mowry said. The federal governments role should have ended long ago. We made that attempt to flatten the curve. We saw what the pandemic did health-wise.

Mowry said the cure has become more lethal than the illness itself.

We want local control, Mowry said. If New York or other states want to impose these kinds of mandates, fair, fine, not as a federal thing.

Mowry said he is running for U.S. Senate to use legislative power to influence policy in Washington D.C. and limit the executive branch of government.

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Sen. Thune calls for COVID-19 mandates to end, opponents weigh in on pandemic - KELOLAND.com

Casco Bay is the absolute gem of southern Maine. From Phippsburg to Cape Elizabeth, the bay is loaded with exquisite harbors, perfect sailing, endless views, and some of the best seafood you will ever find.

With all of that being said, the bay may be best known for its incredible islands. All 136 of them to be exact. While most are uninhabited, there are plenty that have communities, full property rentals, daily excursions, fine dining and more.

One of those islands has a little bit of everything...or maybe a lot of everything. It's also has an amazing property available to rent.

Located off the coast of Falmouth, lies the 22-acre Clapboard Island. This little vessel of land features six beaches, walking paths, a deep-water dock, helicopter landing area and the most perfect beach house imaginable.

The 13 bedroom, 9 bathroom luxury home was built over 100 years ago by a railroad magnet, and has been restored in an amazing way. The home is loaded with coastal dcor and ocean themes. It also features a state-of-art kitchen and pantry and panoramic views of the island and bay.

Available for rent through clapboardisland.com, Clapboard Island is the perfect luxury spot for a family reunion, immaculate friendcation, or the greatest over-the-top romantic getaway you could ever imagine.

Enjoy Casco Bay from the most perfect spot there is, Clapboard Island.

Sitting right in the heart of Maine's incredible Casco Bay lies a true oasis that has a property available for rent.

Clapboard Island is an impressive 22-acre island that features beaches, walking paths, and an immense beach house.

The property is a perfect spot for a luxurious family reunion or friendcation.

Wow, check it out. An entire small and very secluded Maine island for sale in the middle of Wohoa Bay off the coast of Addison in Washington County.

There are so many grand features inside Shaq's waterfront mansion in Florida. The 31,000 square foot home has a custom rock waterfall, a basketball court and an aquarium room. See photos, below!

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Rent This Exquisite Island Property in the Heart of Casco Bay - wblm.com

In honor of American Heart Health Month, we went to examine how COVID-19 can impact your heart long-term.

WASHINGTON February is American Heart Month and its a great time to prioritize how we should take care of our hearts.

While many of the short-term impacts of COVID-19, including COVID long-hauler and myocarditis, have been documented, there is still a lot we dont know about long-term impacts.

There are a few conditions that are directly related to a COVID infection. Youve heard about long-COVID and that is your body's cardiovascular system responding [in] a funny way to a COVID infection. And that funny way you can last for six to 12 months. We also heard about myocarditis, which is a little swelling of the heart muscle that happens after or during a coronavirus infection, said Ameya Kulkarni, a cardiologist with Kaiser Permanente.

Doctor Ameya Kulkarni said another impact of the pandemic is an increase in blood pressure.

On average, patients blood pressure in the United States has gone up versus two years ago and its disproportionately affecting women, said Ameya Kulkarni, MD.

Experts said there are a number of reasons the pandemic could be contributing to an increase in blood pressure.

There are a variety of reasons for this. We are attending to so many more things at once than we ever were. Stress levels are higher than theyve ever been. Most of us are less active than we were. And are eating differently, said Ameya Kulkarni, MD.

The American Heart Association released a new $10 million research initiative, examining the deadly coronavirus' impact on the cardiovascular system.

While COVID-19 was initially thought to be a disease only of the respiratory system, it quickly became evident that its effects were not limited to any one system of the body. Cardiovascular complications in aggregate have commonly been reported among COVID-19 patients and most often include blood clots, heart inflammation known as myocarditis, disruption of the heart rhythm, heart failure and heart attacks, said Svati H. Shah, M.D. in a news release.

Svati H. Shah also explained frequently reported symptoms in patients who have effects long after their initial COVID-19 infection have cardiovascular-related aspects including fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath. The patients also report effects on the central nervous system, including both psychological effects such as anxiety and depression, as well as cognitive effects such as confusion and deficits of memory and concentration. But, we have a lot still to learn through rigorous research to understand Long COVID.

The American Heart Association wants to remind you of a few simple steps you can take to monitor your heart health.

The five key personal health numbers that help determine risk for heart disease include total cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index.

Experts with American Heart Association said even modest changes to diet and lifestyle can lower risk by as much as 80%.

The American Heart Association recommends that adult women get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.

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When it comes to your heart health, theres still a lot we do not know about COVID-19s long-term impacts - WUSA9.com

11:59 PM ET

Elaine TengESPN

U.S. Olympic figure skater Vincent Zhou tested positive for COVID-19 a day ahead of the start of the men's competition.

According to a U.S. Figure Skating statement, Zhou, 21, tested positive during a routine COVID-19 screening and is undergoing additional testing to confirm his status. If he tests negative, he will be able to compete in the men's short program on Tuesday morning Beijing time. The men's singles competition is Zhou's final event at the Games.

A two-time Olympian, Zhou is expected to contend for a medal alongside six-time U.S. champion Nathan Chen and two-time reigning Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.

He had competed in the men's free skate portion of the team competition Sunday morning Beijing time. Team USA won a silver medal minutes before the news of Zhou's positive test was released.

The news was especially stressful for Chen; the two have been part of the same practice group in Beijing.

"We basically said: 'Vincent, we're sorry to hear the news. We miss you. We wish you were here because you're a big part of this team. You helped earn the silver medal,'" American ice dancer Evan Bates said after filming a video for Zhou. "And we're just hoping for the best and that he'll be all cleared and be able to take part in his individual event.''

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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U.S. Olympic figure skater Vincent Zhou tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of men's event - ESPN

Global: The global Covid death toll has passed 5.7 million, with a figure of 5,740,187 according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, infections have passed 390 million to a world wide figure of 394,995,479.

US: Covid -19 infections have now passed 76 million. Meanwhile, the US coronavirus death toll has increased to more than 902,000 according to Johns Hopkins University data.

New York state passed a marker in the decline of the latest viral surge: the percentage of tests returning positive is the lowest since the World Health Organization declared Omicron a variant of concern, on 26 November. New infections reported on Sunday were 5,680, with the percentage positive at 3.52%. Other measures of the Omicron surge remain elevated: Hospitalizations are roughly double the level of late November, and deaths are roughly four times as high.

More US schools are likely to begin lifting mask mandates soon as the overall risk from the Omicron wave eases, said Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. We can start to lean forward and take a little bit more risk and try to at least make sure that students in schools have some semblance of normalcy for this spring term, Gottlieb, a Pfizer Inc. board member, said on CBSs Face the Nation. A lot of kids havent really known a normal school day for two years now.

Canada: The mayor of Canadas capital has declared a state of emergency as protesters opposed to Covid-19 restrictions continued to paralyse central Ottawa. Jim Watson said the declaration highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government.

UK: The UK reported another 54,095 Covid cases on Sunday, the lowest figure since 12 December. Infections have been declining since the Omicron wave peaked in early January, with the seven-day average down 5% to 83,474. Another 75 fatalities were reported Sunday. The country has stopped requiring those who test positive on lateral-flow devices to confirm the result with a laboratory PCR test. However, reinfections are also included as of last week.

UK travellers have been warned to check their half-term holiday plans to make sure they meet Covid vaccination rules when travelling to EU destinations as a growing number of countries impose new restrictions.

Meanwhile, Prime minister Boris Johnsons desperate efforts to save his premiership have been undermined with one of his most loyal backbench supporters saying it was now inevitable that Tory MPs would remove him from office over the partygate scandal.

Vietnam: More than 17 million Vietnamese students are due to return to school for the first time in about a year, the health ministry has said, as authorities announced plans to start vaccinating children from as young as five against Covid-19.

China: The Chinese city of Baise in Guangxi, population 3.57 million, has been locked down because of a Covid outbreak. The outbreak is tiny by global standards, but the curbs, including a ban on non-essential trips in and out, follow a national guideline to quickly contain any flare-ups. That news comes as Chinas chief epidemiologist, Wu Zunyou, says that as long as theres no other way to contain the spread of the virus, the country wont adjust its dynamic Zero Covid pandemic control policy.

Hong Kong: Hong Kong is set to report another record number of coronavirus infections, ramping up pressure on the government to contain the worsening outbreak. The city saw more than 600 cases on Monday, local media reported, citing people they didnt identify. All of the latest infections were local, with 136 listed as untraceable. Some 15 cases were detected in public housing estates in Tuen Mun and Sha Tin, where more than 7,200 residents have been tested, officials said. More than 300 preliminary positive cases were reported. There are invisible transmission chains in the community, Ronald Lam, director of health, said during the press conference. He added that is impossible to project the peak of the current wave.

India: Authorities in India have approved Russias one-jab Sputnik Light Covid-19 vaccine. It will be the second Russian-developed jab to be approved by the country, after Sputnik V was allowed in April 2021.

Indias central bank postponed its interest-rate review by a day as the nation and its neighbors mourn the death of celebrated singer Lata Mangeshkar after being diagnosed with Covid-19. She was 92 and had been hospitalized since 8 January. The Reserve Bank of Indias monetary policy committee will now meet February 8-10, the authority said in a statement late Sunday. Its decision will be announced Thursday.

Japan: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will instruct cabinet members to accelerate the pace of vaccinations to 1 million shots a day within the month, broadcaster NHK reported, without attribution. Kishida is to give the directive to health minister Shigeyuki Goto and others on Monday. Almost 79% of the population had two shots but only 4.8% had third as of Friday, when a little under 570,000 shots were reported.

The Japanese government is making final arrangements to extend a quasi-state of emergency in Tokyo and 12 other prefectures due to expire on 13 February, the Asahi reported, citing several unidentified officials.

Australia: Australia plans to open its borders to international tourists as soon as possible, a government minister said Sunday, following a report that they will be allowed back by the end of February after a Covid-related hiatus of almost two years. We are getting ready to open as soon as we can, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in an ABC TV interview. We dont have all the information we need to be able to take the decision, but we are very close.

Meanwhile, A group of anti-vaccination demonstrators and conspiracy theorists have blocked roads and targeted businesses in the Australian capital of Canberra ahead of the return of federal parliament on Tuesday. Hundreds of cars and trucks waving Australian flags, military insignia and campaign banners for former US President Donald Trump descended on the city over the past week to call for the end to vaccination requirements in businesses and places of employment. The protests in Canberra have echoed similar demonstrations in the Canadian capital Ottawa.

Philippines: The Philippines started giving Covid-19 shots to children aged 5 to 11, after receiving 780,000 Pfizer doses last week. The Southeast Asian nation aims to inoculate 15.5 million from this age group, as economic managers see allowing more activities for kids and their families as key to reviving consumer demand.

South Korea: South Koreas daily cases could increase to up to 130,000-170,000 at the end of February with the surge of the Omicron variant, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The numbers are based on forecast modeling conducted by experts. President Moon Jae-in said it is a serious situation as its difficult to predict how much the number of confirmed cases will increase and when the peak will be. But he said there is no need to be too concerned about the current situation. South Korea confirmed 35,286 more cases on Monday.

Thailand: Thailands Health Ministry will propose further easing of containment measures to the nations main virus task force later this week, the Bangkok Post reported, citing Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the ministrys Department of Disease Control. The ministry will encourage people to live with the virus rather than cope with lockdowns, the newspaper reported. Opas didnt give details of measures that may be relaxed.

Israel: The number of serious coronavirus cases in Israel reached 1,263 on Sunday, the highest reported since the beginning of the pandemic. Before Saturday the previous record of 1,193 severe cases was set in January 2021. At the same time, the number of new daily infections is declining, with about 38,000 new cases on Friday, compared with 49,500 the previous Friday, and a peak of more than 85,000 at the height of the Omicron wave. Israel was one of the first countries to roll out vaccines and booster shots, offering a fourth dose to higher-risk people last month.

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Covid-19 update: US coronavirus death toll passes 900,000 - Pharmaceutical Technology