Weekly Podcasts: Covid-19 vaccine safety; how Asia will view Trump’s legacy
January 18, 2021 10:00 PM Listen to podcasts by The Straits Times and The Business Times.
Read more
WHO expects to have access to Pfizer vaccine 'very soon'
GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization is in advanced negotiations with Pfizer about including the company’s COVID-19 vaccine in the agency’s portfolio of shots to be shared with poorer countries, a senior WHO official said on Monday. Read full story
Read more
Thai AirAsia to furlough 75% of workforce
Thai AirAsia will keep only one-fourth of the staff and ask the rest to take a leave-without-pay offer for four months, starting February, as the re-emerging coronavirus outbreak has dealt a heavy blow to the aviation sector.
Read more
EU works to plug large gap in virus sequencing as COVID variants spread
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission is urging EU states to do more on sequencing the genome of the new coronavirus to spot mutations quickly, the EU health commissioner told Reuters on Monday, after the spread of the more contagious British variant. Read full story
Read more
Ghana president warns of health system overload as Covid cases soar
Thai AirAsia takes off leave-without-pay policy
Thai AirAsia will keep only one-fourth of the staff and ask the rest to join its leave-without-pay policy for four months starting February as the new coronavirus outbreak is biting the aviation sector.
Read more
WHO says expects global COVID deaths to top 100,000 a week
Action will be taken if any staff of quarantine centre supplied beer to patients, says Masidi
Covid-19: Cops confirm two Bangladeshis who tested positive tried to board flight to Dhaka
SEPANG (Bernama): Two Bangladeshi men in their 20s, who had tested positive for Covid-19, tried to leave the country by boarding a flight bound for Dhaka on Sunday (Jan 17) via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here. Read full story
Read more
Joy and caution as Greek shops re-open amid strict safety limits
Japan finds COVID-19 variant in three people with no record of travel to UK
Covid-19: Those with symptoms get priority for swab tests, says Health DG
Study finds 80 per cent of recovered Covid-19 patients in Hong Kong suffer from at least one lingering symptom, with gut bacteria playing critical role
Eighty per cent of recovered Covid-19 patients in Hong Kong continue to experience at least one of the disease’s symptoms six months later and nearly a third report suffering from more than three, researchers have found.The study by a Chinese University team examined the role that imbalances in gut bacteria – or dysbiosis – played […]
Read more
Permai can help M'sians face Covid-19 pandemic, says Dr Wee
PETALING JAYA: The government’s RM15bil Perlindungan Ekonomi dan Rakyat Malaysia (Permai) assistance package can better assist Malaysians and industry players to weather through the Covid-19 pandemic, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. Read full story
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: government defends flip-flop over online Covid-19 press briefings, says on-site sessions to continue out of public concern
Health officials in Hong Kong on Monday defended their flip-flop over a plan to move the daily Covid-19 press briefing online, saying the latest decision to continue the conference in a physical setting was in response to deep concern from the public.The original change, announced on Sunday evening, was aimed at implementing social distancing at […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: city to launch ‘new command centre’ to ramp up Covid-19 contact tracing, while Carrie Lam admits past shortcomings
Hong Kong will this week establish a command centre staffed by hundreds of officers from the disciplinary services and other government workers to significantly ramp up tracing of close contacts of coronavirus patients, the Post has learned.The plan for the new centre was finalised at a meeting chaired by the city’s No 2 official and […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: household members of coronavirus patients’ close contacts to be tested under new proposal, as another 25 cases recorded
Household members of Covid-19 patients’ close contacts will be asked to undergo coronavirus tests under a proposal to enhance Hong Kong’s tracing strategy, health officials said, as 25 new infections were recorded on Wednesday, the lowest since mid November.The new proposal was floated as senior officials convened a cross-departmental meeting on Wednesday to set up […]
Read more
Coronavirus: Hong Kong contact-tracing command centre to open within days; city logs 33 new Covid-19 cases
A new command centre staffed by about 100 officers from the disciplined services and medical professionals will start operating in Hong Kong on Monday under an enhanced contact-tracing strategy for coronavirus cases, officials said, as another 33 infections were confirmed on Thursday.The city’s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, had earlier said the administration […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: mass Covid-19 vaccination programme to begin around Lunar New Year at four types of locations
Hong Kong will launch its mass vaccination programme around Lunar New Year at four types of locations, authorities revealed late on Friday, as the city reported a slight jump in daily Covid-19 cases to 45 infections while mainland China wrestled with a worsening outbreak.Speaking after a meeting with the government, private doctors’ groups quoted officials […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: 59 coronavirus cases confirmed, more affordable hotels to be added to quarantine list
Hong Kong confirmed 59 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, a new high for the year, as a senior official said more affordable hotels would be added to the government’s list of quarantine facilities.Fifty-three of the fresh infections were locally transmitted, including 20 not linked to previous cases. The latest figures took the city’s overall tally to […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: dozens at care home forced to quarantine; 31 new Covid-19 cases recorded
Hong Kong’s fourth wave of the coronavirus continued to ease on Sunday with health authorities revealing just 31 new cases, but dozens of people at a care home for the elderly were forced into quarantine after a staff member tested preliminary-positive.A new cluster at a tunnel construction site emerged, while a ferry captain was among […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: health experts urge tougher crowd controls to rein in Covid-19 infections as 41 new cases emerge
Health experts have warned that Hong Kong could undo its success in containing the fourth wave of the coronavirus if residents continued to pack popular gathering spots heading into the Lunar New Year holiday.The government should consider limiting crowd sizes at shopping centres and wet markets, as well as require mask-wearing at country parks, to […]
Read more
Sinovac says its COVID-19 vaccine more effective with longer dosing interval
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s Sinovac Biotech said on Monday that a clinical trial in Brazil showed its COVID-19 vaccine was almost 20 percentage points more effective in a small sub-group of patients who received their two doses longer apart. Read full story
Read more
Covid-19: Over 80% of M'sians expected to be vaccinated by first quarter of 2022, says PM
PM Phúc stresses need for international cooperation in fight against COVID-19
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc sent a video message to a teleconference of health ministers from the Western Pacific region hosted by World Health Organisation on Wednesday, with a focus on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more
Private hospitals reserve Covid-19 vaccines ahead of approval
Two private hospitals have ordered millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines ahead of regulatory approval, adding to government orders of vaccines as Thailand tackles a second wave of the virus.
Read more
Covid-19: Nine new clusters detected with seven of them linked to workplaces
'Every week counts' as Austria, Greece, Denmark seek quick EU OK for AstraZeneca vaccine – Kurz
VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria, Greece and Denmark will jointly pressure the European Medicines Agency to approve AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Monday, adding: “Every week counts.” Read full story
Read more
Recent Covid-19 infections in S’pore dorms likely to be isolated cases, say experts
January 18, 2021 6:35 PM They said there was no need for alarm unless more cases started cropping up.
Read more
Larger sites, signature events and landmark developments among ideas for Jurong Lake District
January 18, 2021 6:22 PM SINGAPORE – Developers, investors and businesses have been invited to provide the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) with ideas for the Jurong Lake District, in view of the changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read more
Coronavirus: Hong Kong panel recommends Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use, but seeks more information over Norway deaths
A government advisory panel has recommended the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in Hong Kong, paving the way for a mass inoculation campaign after Lunar New Year.The panel of experts meeting on Monday took three hours to give their unanimous backing to the vaccine developed by the American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer […]
Read more
Coronavirus: Share of affordable rooms at Hong Kong’s quarantine hotels set to increase when government updates list of designated facilities
The number of rooms priced at less than HK$500 a night at government-approved quarantine hotels is set to more than double in mid-February, following a rash of complaints that the limited supply of affordable options for arrivals had effectively left hundreds of Hong Kong residents stranded overseas.Four of the designated coronavirus quarantine hotels included on […]
Read more
World is on the brink of a 'catastrophic moral failure' on vaccines – WHO chief
GENEVA (Reuters) – The head of the World Health Organization said on Monday that the world was on the brink of a “catastrophic moral failure” on distributing vaccines, urging countries and manufacturers to share COVID-19 doses more fairly around the world. Read full story
Read more
German health minister: don't call mutant corona strain 'English'
CCSA frets about Malaysia virus spill
Still struggling to control illegal migration through the northern border, authorities have a new worry in the South, where a spike in Covid-19 cases in Malaysia threatens to spill over into Thailand.
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: minister promises tough safety checks after Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccine performs worse than expected in new study
Covid-19 vaccines will be subject to robust safety procedures before they are distributed to the Hong Kong public, a senior official has pledged after one brand procured by the city was found in a study to be significantly less effective than expected.Civil service minister Patrick Nip Tak-kuen on Wednesday also said he believed that residents’ […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: fearful residents in coronavirus-hit tenements plead for help as city logs another 42 cases
Hong Kong health officials are racing to contain a growing coronavirus outbreak in four old tenement blocks amid infection fears and calls by an expert to remove faulty pipes, while the city on Wednesday confirmed 42 new Covid-19 cases.Mandatory testing for residents and recent visitors at the buildings on Reclamation Street in Jordan was ongoing. […]
Read more
Teachers, principal stranded in Britain by Covid-19 travel ban as Hong Kong international schools reopen
Online classes resumed in Hong Kong schools this month, but a number of teachers remain stranded in Britain because of the Covid-19 travel ban, the Post has learned.Nearly one in 10 teachers from Harrow International School, including its head, Ann Haydon, are still stuck in Britain. Belinda Greer, CEO of the city’s biggest international school […]
Read more
Almost 2 billion people depend on health care facilities without basic water services – WHO, UNICEF
Lack of water puts health care workers and patients at higher risk of COVID-19 infection Around 1.8 billion people are at heightened risk of COVID-19 and other diseases because they use or work in health care facilities without basic water services, warn WHO and UNICEF. “Working in a health care facility without water, sanitation and […]
Read more
Covid-19 blood plasma is reserved for patients not responding well to initial treatment: NCID
January 18, 2021 5:31 PM SINGAPORE – Blood plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients is reserved for those who are not responding well to initial treatments for the coronavirus, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) has said.
Read more
Seremban, Port Dickson to be under MCO from Jan 19-Feb 1
Malaysia unveils B112bn package as Covid cases surge
Malaysia unveiled a new 15 billion ringgit (112 billion baht) assistance package to help the economy weather the impact from a fresh surge in coronavirus cases.
Read more
Malaysia unveils B112 bn package as Covid cases surge
Malaysia unveiled a new 15 billion ringgit (112 billion baht) assistance package to help the economy weather the impact from a fresh surge in coronavirus cases.
Read more
Air quality regulator temporarily suspends cremation limits for LA County amid ‘backlog’ from pandemic
Hong Kong residents stranded in Britain due to Covid-19 travel ban struggle over six-week journey home
Hong Kong’s ban on travellers from Britain has left hundreds of city residents stranded and facing a costly six-week journey if they want to get back anytime soon. Those desperate to return must spend three weeks in a country outside Britain before continuing to Hong Kong, where they will have to spend another three weeks […]
Read more
Philippines approves Pfiser-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration has authorised the emergency use of Pfiser Inc and BioNTech SE’s COVID-19 vaccine, its head said on Thursday. The Pfiser-BioNTech vaccine, which has shown a 95 percent success rate, is the first vaccine the Philippines has approved. FDA head Rolando Enrique Domingo told a media […]
Read more
The US has ‘screaming level’ of Covid-19 transmission, expert says, as country adds nearly 4 million cases this month
German health minister calls for further efforts to contain spread of coronavirus
China’s Sinovac steps up defence of vaccine after confusing data
China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd defended the efficacy of its Covid-19 shot, saying the vaccine that’s being rolled out from Indonesia to Brazil despite inconsistent data readouts is more effective in preventing the disease if the two-dose regime is administered over a longer time frame.
Read more
14 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, including 12 imported and 2 in the community
January 18, 2021 3:54 PM SINGAPORE – There were 14 new coronavirus cases confirmed as of Monday noon (Jan 18), taking Singapore’s total to 59,127.
Read more
No New Covid-19 Cases Confirmed in Laos This Month
Laos has not confirmed a new Covid-19 case since 7 December last year, with the total number in the country unchanged at 41 and zero deaths. The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control announced yesterday that no new Covid-19 cases had been recorded in Laos, and the total number of cases remains at 41. […]
Read more
Lao Economy Set to Recover if Threats Can Be Contained
While economic growth in the Lao PDR contracted in 2020 for the first time in over two decades, the economy is set to recover in 2021 and in the medium term, provided the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is contained and business can resume with trading partners, according to a World Bank report released today. […]
Read more
FAQs on travelling to Việt Nam during the coronavirus pandemic
As the novel coronavirus pandemic spreads and impacts the entire planet, many countries have issued entry and travel restrictions, including Việt Nam.
Read more
Swiss ski resort St Moritz quarantines hotels, shuts schools to contain COVID variant
Hong Kong fourth wave: new private hospital under Chinese University to ease burden on public sector by accepting Covid-19 patients
A new private hospital set to open next week under the Chinese University of Hong Kong can take in Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms if capacity in the public sector is stretched, its management has said.The CUHK Medical Centre in Sha Tin, the first private teaching hospital wholly owned by a university, would also require […]
Read more
Protect your heart, manage your cholesterols
[Sponsored Article] While the coronavirus pandemic is grabbing all the attention this year as an unprecedented public health crisis, heart disease remains the number three killer of the general population (1). As the community works collectively to ward off COVID-19, we must also not ignore our cardiovascular health. According to Dr. Adrian Cheong, specialist in cardiology, hypercholesterolemia […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: sewage tests for coronavirus to be expanded, aim for ‘gold standard’
A pilot scheme to check sewage in Hong Kong for the presence of the coronavirus will have its screening capacity doubled, after successfully uncovering hidden carriers in two housing blocks.A team of experts at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has also finalised a standard operating procedure to trigger mandatory testing of all residents in […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: just 3.57 million arrivals in 2020 amid coronavirus pandemic – 36-year low for tourism hub
Plagued by the collapse of travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, arrivals to Hong Kong plummeted nearly 94 per cent year on year in 2020 to just 3.57 million, a 36-year low for the once-mighty tourism hub.The provisional numbers, published by the Hong Kong Tourism Board on Friday, marked a precipitous plunge from the 55.9 million […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: fears of coronavirus rebound as 55 new infections logged, more than 80 pending confirmation
A feared coronavirus rebound could be under way in Hong Kong, as health officials on Sunday confirmed 55 new infections with more than 80 pending confirmation, sparking a warning from an infectious disease expert that a “perfect storm” was brewing in old neighbourhoods. The resurgence came as a top government adviser called for the city’s […]
Read more
World’s largest youth organizations, representing 250 million members, and WHO launch global mobilization to respond to disruptive impacts of COVID-19 on young people
Funding for community programmes, engaging youth in solutions to address COVID-19, and convening Global Youth Summit are key features of this new mobilization A new ground-breaking global youth mobilization was launched today to invest in and scale up youth-led solutions and engagements in response to COVID-19. The initiative was launched by an alliance of the […]
Read more
Behavioural considerations for acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines
The Behavioural Insights Unit of the WHO released a meeting report of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on the special session on acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, held on 15 October 2020. The meeting report outlines the factors that drive people’s behaviour in relation to vaccine acceptance and uptake: an enabling environment, social influences […]
Read more
Covid-19: Melaka police chief to work from office despite positive cases
Fuelled by pandemic, worldwide sales of PCs up by 13% in 2020
January 18, 2021 2:14 PM Stay-at-home activities last year, driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, have led to an overall increase in sales of computers and peripheral devices globally, including in Singapore, after a decade of sluggish performance.
Read more
Japan PM Suga: Will exhaust all means to protect pandemic-hit medical system
Hong Kong fourth wave: evacuation ordered at fifth housing block as vertical coronavirus transmission feared
Hong Kong health authorities ordered the evacuation of five residential buildings on Thursday as Covid-19 outbreaks worsened in two districts, with vertical transmission of the virus suspected at one public housing block in Kwai Chung.The latest evacuation, of Yan Shek House in Shek Yam Estate, was launched after six residents from three flats facing the […]
Read more
Hong Kong issues isolation order for entire residential blocks for first time since Covid-19 pandemic began
Hong Kong authorities on Friday ordered the isolation of four old tenement blocks in one of the city’s most densely populated neighbourhoods to contain an escalating Covid-19 outbreak, taking such a drastic step for the first time since the start of the pandemic.The isolation order effectively locks down all of 20, 22, 24 and 26 […]
Read more
Vaccination rates highlight stark differences between Israelis and Palestinians — amid row over responsibility
Thailand logs 369 new Covid cases Monday
The government on Monday recorded 369 new Covid-19 cases, raising the accumulated total since the start of the pandemic to 12,423. No new deaths were reported.
Read more
Tg Karang MP Noh Omar, family undergo Covid-19 screening after son-in-law tests positive
37,000 front-line workers in aviation, maritime sectors expected to get Covid-19 vaccine within 2 months
January 18, 2021 1:00 PM Some 13,000 workers have registered to get their first dose this week.
Read more
Ton Pheung Locked Down After Chinese National Tests Positive for Covid-19
A Chinese worker living in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone tested positive for Covid-19 upon his return to China. Authorities in Laos have locked down Ton Pheung District in Bokeo Province for a second time following the news of the Chinese worker infected with Covid-19. The man developed a fever and was admitted to […]
Read more
Cambodia reopens schools as community COVID-19 outbreak is over
Cambodia reopened public schools across the kingdom on Monday after the first community outbreak of COVID-19 was over late last year. The post Cambodia reopens schools as community COVID-19 outbreak is over appeared first on The Cambodia Daily.
Read more
Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 7,141 – RKI
BERLIN (Reuters) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 7,141 to 2,040,659, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday. The reported death toll rose by 214 to 46,633, the tally showed. Read full story
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: mandatory Covid-19 testing of workers, not just residents, needed in Yau Tsim Mong, says health expert
Health experts have advised the Hong Kong government to expand mandatory Covid-19 testing to all restaurant and retail workers in Yau Tsim Mong to cut off silent transmission links in the district, home to a large outbreak in old buildings last week.The city on Monday was expecting a high caseload, after 80 preliminary-positive cases were […]
Read more
Indonesian medics overwhelmed by quake casualties
MAMUJU, Indonesia: Medics battled exhaustion and the risk of Covid-19 as they raced Monday to treat scores of people injured by a devastating earthquake on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island.
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: easing Covid-19 rules could lead to rebound, health officials warn; experts reassess vaccination roll-out
Relaxing social-distancing measures in Hong Kong ahead of Lunar New Year could lead to a rebound in coronavirus infections, officials have warned, while the city also faces a possible delay in its vaccination drive. Health experts said they would not rule out pushing back the coming inoculation campaign amid concern over side effects of the […]
Read more
New test kit that can detect Covid-19 and seasonal flu gets HSA’s approval
January 18, 2021 12:00 PM Sales of the new kit have just been launched, after it obtained the approval on Jan 8.
Read more
S’pore’s construction demand for 2021 expected to rise to $23b-$28b
January 18, 2021 12:01 PM SINGAPORE – Construction contracts for the built environment sector are expected to grow to between $23 billion and $28 billion this year, as the sector recovers from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said on Monday (Jan 18).
Read more
COVID-19: One year later – WHO Director-General’s new year message
In his end of year message for 2020, WHO Director-General says there is light at the end of the tunnel in the fight against COVID-19. But going into 2021, he urges countries and communities to work together, in solidarity, to overcome this and future health challenges.
Read more
Private sector rolls out initiatives to support Covid-19 vaccination programme in Singapore
January 18, 2021 11:45 AM OCBC Bank and Great Eastern announced programmes to support those receiving the shots.
Read more
Migrants arrested while gambling
SAMUT PRAKAN: Twelve Myanmar nationals were arrested for violating the provincial ban on crowd gatherings during the Covid-19 outbreak, in Bang Phli district on Sunday night.
Read more
Philippines says China to donate half a million Covid-19 vaccine
Intellasia East Asia News Beijing’s top diplomat pledged Saturday to donate half a million coronavirus vaccine shots to the Philippines, Manila officials saiddespite growing resistance there to Chinese-made jabs over concerns about their efficacy. President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration is scrambling to lock in supplies of Covid-19 vaccines for the country’s 110 million people, after being […]
Read more
‘Opening’ seen to ease quarantine despite COVID-19 variant arrival
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines continues to see an “opening” to roll back remaining movement restrictions despite a new coronavirus variant detected in the country, a necessary step for the economy to bounce back from last year’s recession. “Given the experience of other countries, I think there’s an opening,” Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl […]
Read more
Realising the ‘transformational trilogy’ of social protection delivery in the Philippines
Intellasia East Asia News Manuel, a 43-year-old cook at a local restaurant in San Jose, Risal, Philippines who lost his job during the COVID-19 lockdown in March, had been waiting for 9 hours in an endless line outside his barangay hall (community centre). The harrowing thought of contracting the virus from the crowd briefly occurred […]
Read more
Few investors want to commit to airports-think tank
Intellasia East Asia News Few investors want to commit to airports at present, and they cannot be blamed given the current situation in the aviation sector brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to aviation think tank CAPA-Centre for Aviation. CAPA said that few investors want to commit to airports until requirements for testing and […]
Read more
Philippines to Get 20 Million Additional AstraZeneca Doses
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines will sign a deal with AstraZeneca Plc. on Thursday for up to 20 million additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccines. Private companies and local officials are helping the central government secure AstraZeneca shots, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said at a televised briefing. Talks are ongoing with the vaccine-maker for […]
Read more
Third year of decline pulls down PEZA investments to 14-year low
Intellasia East Asia News Risk aversion last year reached even the country’s largest economic zone operator where tax perks are offered in exchange for placements, a direct consequence of coronavirus uncertainties. Investment pledges at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) sank 19.2 percent year-on-year to P95.03 billion, the lowest since 2006 when prospective placements amounted […]
Read more
House sets own probe on government COVID-19 vaccination plan
Intellasia East Asia News The House of Representatives will be conducting its own probe into the government’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, with the chamber’s health committee scheduling a hearing on the matter next Monday. Among the resource persons invited to the probe are Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer […]
Read more
Philippines tallies 1,912 new COVID-19 cases; total now at 494,605
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines logged 1,912 new coronavirus infections Thursday, pushing the country’s total to 494,605. Of the total, 25,614 or 5.2 percent are active cases or those who are still undergoing treatment and quarantine. The Department of Health recorded 746 new recoveries, bringing the total number of COVID-19 survivors in the country […]
Read more
New COVID-19 variant not detected in contacts of OFW in HK-DOH
Intellasia East Asia News The new and more contagious variant of COVID-19 was not detected among the close contacts of the overseas Filipina worker in Hong Kong, the Department of Health said Thursday. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said some of the contacts of the 30-year-old worker tested positive for COVID-19 but they had low […]
Read more
Government told to prioritise acquiring Pfiser vaccines over unauthorised jabs
Intellasia East Asia News Two senators on Thursday said top officials should focus on acquiring vaccines from Pfiser instead of manufacturers whose jabs have not yet received regulatory approval in the country. “The Food and Drug Administration’s green light to use the Pfiser vaccine in the country against the novel coronavirus should prompt the government […]
Read more
New COVID-19 variant detected in Philippines: Your questions answered
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines on Wednesday confirmed its first case of the new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus: a man who returned from the United Arab Emirates. In recent weeks, Filipinos have been closely watching with concern developments about the COVID-19 variant that continues to tear through the United Kingdom and […]
Read more
Philippine government, private firms secure 17M more doses of AstraZeneca vaccine
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippine government and private firms signed another deal with AstraZeneca Thursday for 17 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine as officials scramble to lock in supplies to inoculate at least 50 million Filipinos this year. Around 300 companies and 39 local government units pitched in for the procurement of additional […]
Read more
Cambodia’s veiled criticism of Chinese vaccines hints at Hun Sen’s foreign policy plans
It is unclear if Cambodia’s apparent criticism of Chinese coronavirus vaccines is meant to refute the country’s reputation as China’s proxy. If that is the case, then Cambodia needs to do far more to introduce balance to its foreign policy. The post Cambodia’s veiled criticism of Chinese vaccines hints at Hun Sen’s foreign policy plans […]
Read more
Cambodia says China donates 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Friday that China will provide a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be used for inoculating 500,000 people. The post Cambodia says China donates 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines appeared first on The Cambodia Daily.
Read more
Human trafficking added to Cambodian school curriculum
Human trafficking has been added to the school syllabus in Cambodia as students return to classes for a new year after extended breaks in 2020 were enforced due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The post Human trafficking added to Cambodian school curriculum appeared first on The Cambodia Daily.
Read more
‘Friend’ China to donate 1 million vaccine doses to Cambodia: PM
China will donate one million doses of its Sinovac coronavirus vaccine to Cambodia, the kingdom’s strongman premier Hun Sen has said, thanking “friend” Beijing for its generosity. The post ‘Friend’ China to donate 1 million vaccine doses to Cambodia: PM appeared first on The Cambodia Daily.
Read more
Confidence in Chinese vaccines has taken a hit. But as coronavirus cases grow, some countries are still pushing ahead
Coronavirus: Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine first to seek roll-out approval in Hong Kong
The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine developed by the US and Germany has become the first to apply for an emergency roll-out in Hong Kong and a government advisory panel is expected to decide as early as Monday whether to recommend its use amid confusion over the efficacy of the jab from China’s Sinovac.In an interview with […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: coronavirus infections in old buildings, subdivided flats – is a new approach needed?
Hong Kong’s subdivided flats and improper sewage structures crammed into old buildings have exposed flaws in the city’s strategy against Covid-19, health experts have warned, calling for a more proactive and timely approach.The concern centred on fears over what was perceived by critics as a delayed response in tackling growing clusters in aged tenement blocks […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: surge in illegal dirt biking, hikers amid Covid-19 travel ban turns once-lush country park site into barren land
The combined impact of illegal dirt bike riders and wildfires has led to the rapid destruction of a popular Hong Kong hiking spot, prompting a local green group to call for stricter enforcement and reforestation.Once covered with silver grass, the slopes of Kai Kung Leng in Lam Tsuen Country Park in the New Territories are […]
Read more
Covid-19 shows how no country can address long-term problems alone: Zaqy Mohamad
January 18, 2021 10:02 AM SINGAPORE – Covid-19 has laid bare the fact that the world today is increasingly connected, and that no country can address long-term problems on their own, said Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad on Monday (Jan 18).
Read more
Wuhan, one year after coronavirus lockdown
Philippines extends travel restrictions to block new COVID-19 variant
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines has extended the travel restriction for foreign travellers from or transiting through 33 countries and regions with reported cases of the new coronavirus variants until January 31, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday. The government announced the extension barely two days after the Philippines confirmed its first case […]
Read more
Philippines expands travel ban to include UAE, Hungary
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines government will be expanding its travel ban in response to the potentially more infectious coronavirus variant to include the United Arab Emirates and Hungary. The ban on foreign travellers hailing from the two countries will take effect on January 17 and will last until the end of the month. […]
Read more
Philippines Inc. renews call for passage of CREATE
Intellasia East Asia News Businessmen on Friday renewed their call for the passage of the Duterte administration’s revised corporate tax reform, saying the measure would serve as companies’ main fix to the destruction of the coronavirus pandemic. The Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill is a “historic economic reform” that firms need […]
Read more
‘Shadow of doubt’: Galvez accused of contradicting himself on vaccine prices
Intellasia East Asia News Sen. Ping Lacson on Friday sounded the alarm over the vaccine czar making contravening statements on the prices of the COVID-19 jabs being acquired by the government amid fears that the country is purchasing less effective vaccines at a higher cost. Lacson pointed out that senators on Monday asked vaccine czar […]
Read more
Philippines extends travel ban, steps up safeguards over COVID-19 variant
Intellasia East Asia News The Philippines on Friday extended by two weeks a ban on travellers from more than 30 territories and countries where a more transmissible COVID-19 variant has been detected, with the restriction also now covering Filipinos who want to come home. The Southeast Asian country, which has recorded its first case of […]
Read more
Chinese embassy defends China-made vaccines
Intellasia East Asia News China-made vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019 are “global public goods” and low-cost, which will benefit developing countries, the Chinese embassy in Manila said yesterday. The embassy defended Chinese pharmaceutical firms Sinovac and Sinopharm, both of which face questions on lack of transparency and low efficacy rates of their vaccines. Officials […]
Read more
COVID-19 cases in Philippines rise to 496,646 with 2,048 new infections
Intellasia East Asia News The country’s coronavirus caseload rose to 496,646 Friday after 2,048 additional infections were added to the tally. The number of cases stands at 27,033 or 5.4 percent of the nation’s confirmed cases, latest data from the Department of Health showed. The DOH also announced 551 additional recovered patients, pushing total recoveries […]
Read more
Philippines senators query government’s preference for China vaccine after new efficacy data
Intellasia East Asia News Philippine senators on Friday questioned the government’s preference for the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine after latest data showed it has a lower efficacy rate, saying this would not bode well for a country seeking to boost confidence in vaccines. President Rodrigo Duterte’s office said on Monday it was expecting to receive next […]
Read more
No shots until proven safe: PM
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday insisted he won’t allow Thais to be used as guinea pigs to test the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines, saying any jabs rolled out for use in Thailand must be proven to be safe.
Read more
Brazil authorizes two Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use
Amid a devastating resurgence of the coronavirus in parts of Brazil, federal health officials have finally voted to authorize two vaccines for emergency use. Sunday, Brazilian regulatory agency Anvisa approved both the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the Coronavac vaccine.
Read more
Industry Ministry preps SME soft loans
The Industry Ministry is preparing to launch a new soft loan programme this week to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) better cope with the latest wave of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Read more
Coronavirus: U-turn on Lunar New Year flower markets causes confusion for Hong Kong florists
An expected U-turn by the Hong Kong government to allow Lunar New Year flower markets at traditional major venues has caused confusion among florists, with some saying the reversal is too late as they have already sought alternative locations or changed sales strategy.Politicians across the political divide, however, welcomed the move, although they accused the […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: two or more unrelated coronavirus cases in 14-day period will trigger mandatory testing in any housing block
Two or more unrelated Covid-19 infections over a 14-day period in any housing block will trigger a mandatory testing order for everyone in the building under a lower threshold to contain outbreaks, Hong Kong health authorities announced on Tuesday. They also revealed that three hidden coronavirus carriers had been detected through a pilot sewage monitoring […]
Read more
About 40 per cent of Hong Kong’s young people averse to getting coronavirus vaccine shots: survey
Many of Hong Kong’s young people are worried about contracting the coronavirus but two in five say they will not get the Covid-19 vaccine, a survey has found.Almost 90 per cent of the respondents were unhappy with the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, with about 55 per cent saying the measures adopted by the […]
Read more
Updated WHO Information Note: Ensuring continuity of TB services during the COVID-19 pandemic
As the world comes together to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to ensure that essential health services and operations are continued to protect the lives of people with TB and other diseases or health conditions. Health services, including national programmes to combat TB, need to be actively engaged in ensuring an effective […]
Read more
WHO issues its first emergency use validation for a COVID-19 vaccine and emphasizes need for equitable global access
Philippines says China to donate half a million Covid-19 vaccines
Intellasia East Asia News Beijing’s top diplomat pledged Saturday to donate half a million coronavirus vaccine shots to the Philippines, Manila officials said despite growing resistance there to Chinese-made jabs over concerns about their efficacy. President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration is scrambling to lock in supplies of Covid-19 vaccines for the country’s 110 million people, after […]
Read more
Philippines’ COVID-19 cases near half million mark
Intellasia East Asia News The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines inched closer to half a million, as the Department of Health reported over 2,000 new cases on Saturday, January 16. The DOH reported 2,058 new cases on Saturday, raising the total to 498,691, inching closer to the half million mark nearly […]
Read more
Brazil approves emergency use of Chinese Sinovac, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines
SAO PAULO, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Brazil’s Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) unanimously approved on Sunday the emergency use of the CoronaVac vaccine, from the Chinese laboratory Sinovac, as well as the AstraZeneca-University of Oxford vaccine against COVID-19. Read full story
Read more
Nurse first to receive Chinese Sinovac vaccine against COVID-19 in Brazil
SAO PAULO, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Brazilian nurse Monica Calazans, 54, became the first Brazilian to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus on Sunday after Brazilian health authorities approved the emergency use of the vaccines. Read full story
Read more
Microsoft, Oracle and other tech giants team up Covid-19 vaccine ‘passports’
U.S. California coronavirus cases close to 3 mln
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — U.S. California counties reported 32,904 new cases of COVID-19 and 418 new deaths Saturday for a total of 2,951,682 cases and 33,391 deaths in the state, according to a report by Bay Area News Group on Sunday. Read full story
Read more
Australian Open: Quarantining tennis players voice ‘unequal practice’ frustrations
Instead of training for up to five hours a day as they prepare for the Australian Open, 72 players find themselves unable to leave their hotel rooms under coronavirus quarantine rules — and a number of them are vocally expressing their frustrations.
Read more
NYS COVID-19 hospitalizations down to 8,771, positivity rate 5.61 pct: governor
Feature: Delivery service becomes popular among Lebanese villagers to secure needs during COVID-19 lockdown
BEIRUT, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Since the early hours in the morning, Wassim Al-Ali starts his day by riding his bicycle to deliver daily necessities from the markets to local residents in his home village Nabatieh in southern Lebanon. Read full story
Read more
Algeria reports 222 new COVID-19 cases, 103,833 in total
Cuba reports record number of daily COVID-19 cases
ST forum to examine ripple effects of Covid-19 on higher education
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM The impact of Covid-19 has dramatically transformed education systems around the world.
Read more
Local unis offered 1,000 extra places last year amid pandemic
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM The six local universities offered around 1,000 extra places last year as the disruption caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic forced students to readjust their plans. The universities will continue to offer additional places this year, if the situation does not change.
Read more
17,500 varsity places given out last year, 1,000 more than planned
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM SINGAPORE – The six local universities offered around 1,000 extra places last year as the disruption caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic forced students to readjust their plans. The universities will continue to offer additional places this year, if the situation does not change.
Read more
Pasir Ris resort gets fine, 30-day bookings suspension for Covid-19 breaches
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM CherryLoft Resorts & Hotels in Pasir Ris has been fined $1,000 and ordered to suspend bookings for a month after it breached multiple safe management measures and allowed 19 people to gather on its premises.
Read more
Experts divided on effect of new strains on effort to curb virus
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM The world went into a tizzy last month with the emergence of a new strain of the coronavirus in southern England. It was said to be more infectious and able to spread more easily.
Read more
Pandemic on the minds of this year’s N.E.mation participants
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM The Covid-19 pandemic was a key issue tackled by teams in this year’s N.E.mation! competition.
Read more
Wanted: Stories of Singaporeans’ struggles, triumphs amid Covid-19
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM The surreal sight of supermarkets thronged with people panic buying, after it was announced that Singapore would enforce circuit breaker measures.
Read more
2 community cases linked to para-vet form new cluster
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM The two community cases announced yesterday are linked to a Singapore Police Force para-veterinarian who was earlier confirmed to have Covid-19, forming a new cluster with four cases.
Read more
Experts divided on effect of new strains on effort to curb virus
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM SINGAPORE – The world went into a tizzy last month with the emergence of a new strain of the coronavirus (N501Y) in southern England. It was said to be more infectious and able to spread more easily.
Read more
ST Education Forum to discuss how Covid-19 will transform universities
January 18, 2021 5:00 AM SINGAPORE – The impact of Covid-19 has dramatically transformed education systems around the world.
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: ‘sustained’ evidence of Covid-19 uncovered in housing block sewage, more than 700 households to undergo coronavirus testing
A pilot sewage monitoring system in Hong Kong to detect Covid-19 has found “sustained and reliable” evidence of the coronavirus from a public housing block, authorities said on Monday as they ordered over 700 households to undergo mandatory testing.Details of the new coronavirus-detection drive were unveiled on a day that the city confirmed 61 new […]
Read more
Coronavirus: how Hongkongers can safeguard their living environment in battle against Covid-19
With more residential blocks in Hong Kong hit by Covid-19 outbreaks in recent months, design issues at public housing estates have increasingly become a cause for concern, with experts pointing to problems such as inadequate drainage systems, especially in older buildings.The Post spoke with architects and engineers to find out what residents can do to […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: mandatory Covid-19 testing ordered at 43 residential buildings under tighter policy as 54 new cases confirmed
Tens of thousands of residents in 43 buildings in Hong Kong must be screened for Covid-19 after the government tightened its policy for mandatory testing, health officials revealed on Wednesday, as they confirmed 54 new infections and four more related deaths.One of those buildings, Kai Fai House at the Choi Wan (II) estate, became the […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: Covid-19 patient identified in housing block where coronavirus traces found in sewage, as city reports 68 new cases
A Covid-19 patient has been identified in a housing block where Hong Kong’s pilot sewage surveillance scheme found traces of the coronavirus, just days after cases were uncovered in another building in the same estate.While announcing another 68 confirmed coronavirus cases on New Year’s Eve, health officials also revealed that for the first time a […]
Read more
Coronavirus: Hong Kong confirms 42 Covid-19 cases, lowest since fourth wave started, but experts warn of possible holiday spike
Hong Kong confirmed 42 new Covid-19 infections on New Year’s Day, the lowest daily caseload since the start of the fourth wave about six weeks ago, but health officials and experts warned numbers could rebound because of recent festive gatherings.Friday’s count, which included 13 untraceable infections and six imported ones, was the lowest since November […]
Read more
From ‘explosive outbreak’ to endless social distancing and vaccines: Hong Kong’s top 20 Covid-19 headlines of hope, despair
The Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in Hong Kong and the world at large, crippling travel, forcing businesses to shut down and keeping people cooped up at home. Since the first case was confirmed in Hong Kong on January 23, the city has battled all year long with the pandemic and is now trying to […]
Read more
Call for Action: Managing the Infodemic
Please join us by signing the Call for Action—a global movement to promote access to health information and to mitigate harm from health misinformation among online and offline communities. Sign the Call for Action Since the beginning of the outbreak over a year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic has gravely affected our societies and economies. Likewise, […]
Read more
Joint Risk Assessment Operational Tool in the time of COVID-19
Despite the successful use of the JRA OT in country pilots, the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the ability to provide facilitation support for in-country engagement. But ironically, the zoonotic nature of COVID-19 has made JRA OT more relevant and needed than ever. The JRA OT tripartite secretariat mobilized to identify opportunities for virtual facilitation and […]
Read more
New PSA campaign from WHO and YouTube is a playbook for a safe holiday season
The World Health Organization and YouTube have partnered on an inviting and humorous public service announcement (PSA) to help battle COVID-19 fatigue as we head into the holiday season. After nine months of physical distancing, lockdowns and other preventative measures, the video reminds viewers to stay vigilant and continue to take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus […]
Read more
Iran buys 16.8 mln doses of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX: report
Roundup: Iran buys 16.8 mln COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX; Lebanon signs deal to buy 2 mln Pfizer vaccines
CAIRO, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Iran said on Sunday that it has purchased 16.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX; Meanwhile, Lebanon signed a deal with Pfizer and BioNTech to buy over 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Read full story
Read more
Seven in 10 Greeks willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19
ATHENS, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Seven in ten Greeks are willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to opinion polls, as vaccination of the elderly above 85 years old started this weekend in Greece, after that of health professionals and residents of elderly care homes in recent weeks. Read full story
Read more
People want the Covid-19 vaccine, but the government is failing
It’s been over a month now since the first Covid-19 vaccines were distributed in the United States, and we still haven’t reached the initial goal set out for 20 million Americans to be vaccinated — one initially set for the end of 2020. That has come and gone, and the promised windfall of doses being […]
Read more
Portugal's health system on brink of collapse as COVID-19 cases surge
LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s public health system is on the verge of collapsing as hospitals in the areas worst-affected by a worrying surge in coronavirus cases are quickly running out of intensive care beds to treat COVID-19 patients. Read full story
Read more
Roundup: U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout data in long-term facilities raises public concern
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — About a month after COVID-19 vaccine rollout began in the United States, it is still impossible for the public and the media to track the rollout of vaccines in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term-care facilities (LTCF) in most states, said a latest report of The COVID Tracking […]
Read more
Sweden continues to use remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment despite WHO advice: report
STOCKHOLM, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Sweden continues to buy and use the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat COVID-19 patients, despite the World Health Organization (WHO)’s advice against doing do, Swedish News Agency TT reported on Sunday. Read full story
Read more
Israel's leading airline to resume domestic flights "to support tourism amid COVID-19"
Covid-19 further entrenched income, health, racial and educational inequalities across Hong Kong, experts say
This is the eighth story in a series on the Covid-19 disease, one year after it first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan. It looks at how Covid-19 has exacerbated the inequalities in society, especially for blue-collar workers and the underprivileged, and how government policies have made things worse for them. Please support us on […]
Read more
Covid-19 vaccine: how soon will the shots be available in Hong Kong and mainland, and what are the possible side effects?
After a year in which Covid-19 has infected thousands of Hongkongers, crippled an already faltering economy and changed day-to-day life in drastic fashion for most residents, 2021 brings hope in the form of vaccines set to arrive in the new year. As the city prepares to launch a mass-vaccination programme, the Post answers the most […]
Read more
Hong Kong insurers HSBC Life, AXA, OneDegree roll out coverage for side effects of Covid-19 vaccines
Some of the city’s biggest insurance companies are offering coverage for the side effects of Covid-19 vaccines, as Hongkongers prepare to start receiving their jabs as early as January.French giant AXA and online insurer OneDegree have both just announced plans to offer free protection for anyone who registers with them. HSBC Life, the insurance arm […]
Read more
Hong Kong to roll out mass coronavirus vaccinations in February, minister says, as city records 35 new Covid-19 cases
Hong Kong is expected to begin mass Covid-19 vaccinations next month, a top minister has said, as a leading government adviser revealed authorities planned to further expand the city’s tracing capacity by deploying immigration and customs officers.Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said in a Facebook post on Saturday that the government aimed […]
Read more
Coronavirus: Hong Kong construction site hit by second Covid-19 outbreak as city confirms 41 new cases
Hong Kong recorded 41 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, as a fresh outbreak involving 11 construction workers at the Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin tunnel prompted authorities to issue a mandatory testing order at the site again. Up to 1,500 workers will have to undergo compulsory screening after a scaffolding supervisor was confirmed with the virus […]
Read more
Coronavirus: Hong Kong public hospitals to require day-ward patients to undergo testing; 32 new cases confirmed
Public hospitals in Hong Kong will strengthen measures against Covid-19 by requiring anyone intending to stay at day wards to undergo screening for the virus before being admitted and ask patients who visit for regular procedures to submit to weekly tests.The fresh measures were aimed at preventing the spread of the disease after two facilities […]
Read more
UK records lowest daily increase of coronavirus cases this year
From temples to dance halls, Covid-19 clusters cut across every level of Hong Kong society in 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected Hongkongers from all walks of life. Since the first infections in January, the highly transmissible virus has quietly spread to the wider community through silent carriers. People have been infected with the coronavirus at places of worship, care homes for the elderly, workplaces that share common facilities, hospital wards, and […]
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: lack of affordable hotel rooms, cost of extra week in coronavirus quarantine have left travellers stuck overseas
Nearly all of Hong Kong’s most affordable hotels designated for quarantining arrivals have been fully booked till at least late January, leaving hundreds of city residents, including domestic helpers, stranded overseas.Both groups are now calling on the government, which described the current supply of rooms as “largely adequate” in a statement to the Post, to […]
Read more
Coronavirus: Hong Kong may keep tighter social-distancing rules in place another five weeks, while school campuses to remain shut until after Lunar New Year
Hong Kong’s social-distancing measures are likely to remain in force until at least the Lunar New Year period and even harsher rules may be imposed to contain the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.Health authorities announced on Monday that current measures such as the ban on public gatherings of more than two people and restaurant […]
Read more
COVAX Announces additional deals to access promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates; plans global rollout starting Q1 2021
COVAX now has agreements in place to access nearly two billion doses of several promising vaccine candidates, and laid the groundwork for further doses to be secured through contributions from donors These agreements mean that all COVAX’s 190 participating and eligible economies will be able to access doses to protect vulnerable groups in the first […]
Read more
France may demand rapid COVID-19 test from Irish truck drivers: Irish minister
DUBLIN (Reuters) – France is considering requiring rapid COVID-19 tests from Irish truck drivers operating on a logistics route that has become key since Britain’s exit from the European Union, Ireland’s transport minister said on Sunday. Read full story
Read more
Hong Kong fourth wave: survey finds under 40 per cent willing to take coronavirus jab – far fewer than needed to protect population
Less than 40 per cent of Hongkongers are willing to take a Covid-19 vaccine shot, a university survey has found, worrying researchers who say it is far below the necessary rate to achieve significant protection for the city’s population.Residents interviewed this past summer by Chinese University’s medical school cited the potential for unknown side effects […]
Read more
Both community Covid-19 cases linked to police para-veterinarian to form new cluster
January 17, 2021 10:55 PM SINGAPORE – The two community cases announced on Sunday (Jan 17) are linked to a Singapore Police Force para-veterinarian who was earlier confirmed to have Covid-19, to form a new cluster with four cases.
Read more
Muhyiddin agrees to form Covid-19 advisory group
Europe seeks to ease vaccine concerns as virus curbs intensify
PARIS: Officials sought to ease concerns in Europe on Sunday about deliveries of coronavirus vaccines as nations across the world doubled down on restrictions to fight the rampaging pandemic.
Read more