(Bloomberg) —
New York’s Broadway theaters will extend their mask and vaccine requirements through April 30. At the same time, the city’s Covid-19 infections may have reached a peak, about a month after the first case of the omicron variant was identified there.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic may stay in Australia and vie for a record 21st Grand Slam victory after a court quashed the cancellation of his visa. A new study showed high levels of protective immune cells that fight some common colds also made people less likely to contract Covid-19.
European Union member states have agreed to lift their air travel ban on southern African countries. Germany may need to tighten restrictions before its next scheduled pandemic-policy meeting, a health expert said.
Omicron has flared in a Chinese port city that borders Beijing and spread inland, seeding the variant on the doorstop of the nation’s capital less than one month before the winter Olympics begin.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases exceed 307.4 million; deaths pass 5.49 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 9.45 billion shots administered
- Tiny masks are scarce as unboosted kids return to classrooms
- Awash with vaccines, nations struggle to get them in arms
- Hong Kong is at a Covid-19 tipping point
- Covid test makers struggle to cope with whiplash from omicron
Gilead Says 10 Million Received Its Treatment (1:05 p.m. NY)
More than 10 million Covid patients worldwide have now received Gilead Sciences Inc.’s Veklury treatment, Chief Executive Officer Daniel O’Day said in a presentation. The infused drug, better known by its generic name, remdesivir, is a standard five-day treatment for hospitalized Covid patients.
In the U.S., more than 3 of 5 hospitalized Covid patients are receiving it, O’Day said in a presentation at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference on Monday.
Gilead is also working on a three-day course of the drug that can help patients outside of the hospital. Last year, it was shown in a big trial to lower risk of hospitalization by 87% when given to to high-risk patients. The data have been submitted to U.S. regulators.
“It is effective against all variants so far,” O’Day said. In the future, the shorter course “will be one more piece of the armamentarium” for people who get Covid outside the hospital.
Merck Delivers 900,000 Pill Courses (1 p.m. NY)
Merck & Co. delivered 900,000 courses of its antiviral pill to the U.S. in December and is set to provide 3 million courses ordered by the government by the end of January, Chief Executive Officer Rob Davis said.
Despite the supply-chain issues that have plagued companies around the world, Davis said Merck was able to make 10 million courses of the drug, molnupiravir, as expected last year. They just need to be labeled and shipped, he said.
“We’re confident we’re going to deliver the product,” Davis said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Monday. “We’re not seeing issues.”
Molnupiravir, which Merck makes in partnership with biotech Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in high-risk adults in late December. Merck has said it will make at least 20 million courses of molnupiravir in 2022.
U.S. School Closings Hit Record (11:35 a.m. NY)
U.S. school closures reached a record high for the academic year last week as omicron-fueled coronavirus cases caused staff shortages and disrupted classes, but the shutdowns are about to ease as more schools are set to reopen in-person.
At least 5,409 schools had canceled class or switched to virtual learning as of the end of last week, more than triple the count at the end of December, according to data from Burbio, which tracks closures.
Broadway Extends Vaccine, Mask Policy (11 a.m. NY)
New York’s Broadway theaters will extend their mask and vaccine requirements through April 30, according to a statement posted on the website of the Broadway League.
The 41 theaters will also require full vaccination for children ages 5 to 11 starting Jan. 29, in accordance with New York City guidelines.
Moderna Has $18.5 Billion in 2022 Orders (10:40 a.m. NY)
Moderna Inc. said it has signed vaccine purchase agreements worth $18.5 billion for this year, along with options for another $3.5 billion, including booster shots.
In a statement on Monday, the company also said 2021 product sales would be $17.5 billion, slightly higher than the average analyst estimate of $17 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Additionally, the company said that it shipped 807 million vaccine doses in 2021. Previously, it had said it would deliver between 700 milion and 800 million doses.
Djokovic ‘Grateful’ for Australia Visa Ruling (10 a.m. NY)
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, who refuses to get vaccinated against Covid-19, reacts after an Australian court quashed the cancellation of his visa and ordered his immediate release from detention in a hotel.
Novavax Says Vaccine Shipments to EU Started (10 a.m. NY)
Novavax Inc. has shipped the first doses of its Covid-19 vaccine to Europe, marking the drug company’s entry into a potentially large new market.
Chief Executive Officer Stanley Erck announced the shipments during a presentation on Monday at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference. The company also said in a statement that it and its partner Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. had filed for an emergency-use authorization for the shot in South Africa.
India’s Capital Shuts Restaurants, Bars (9:32 a.m. NY)
Only one weekly market will be allowed per day per zone in Delhi, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal tweeted Monday. The capital’s health department has been advised to beef up manpower at hospitals and scale up the vaccination drive, even among the 15-18 year age bracket.
Baltimore Shifts Some Schools Online (8:23 a.m. NY)
Baltimore said some 60 of its 155 schools shifted to virtual learning on Monday because of staffing shortages caused by the pandemic or the inability to conduct testing for the virus. Maryland is among the hardest hit states by the surge in omicron cases.
Ikea Cuts Sick Pay for Unvaccinated U.K. Staff (8:19 a.m. NY)
Ikea has imposed a financial penalty on U.K. employees who don’t get Covid-19 shots and miss work because they have to self-isolate.
The furniture retailer is cutting sick pay for staff who can’t work because of close contact with an infected person to 96.35 pounds ($131) a week for the required 10-day isolation period — less than a fourth of average weekly wage before taxes, The Guardian newspaper reported on Monday. Ikea said it couldn’t immediately comment.
Bangladesh Introduces New Virus Restrictions (8:15 a.m. NY)
The Bangladesh government has ordered people to show vaccine certificates to dine in restaurants and stay in hotels, starting Jan. 13, as virus cases surge. Buses and trains must operate at half capacity, according to a notice issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday. The government also banned all open-air social, political and religious events and made it compulsory to wear masks outdoors. Covid-19 cases rose by 2,231 in a day to about 1.6 million on Monday.
Japan PM May Extend Ban on Foreign Arrivals (7:47 a.m. NY)
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce an extension to the ban on foreign arrivals this week, Nikkei reported, without saying how it obtained the information.
EU Replaces Africa Travel Ban With Testing (7:45 a.m. NY)
The decision lifts the so-called emergency brake introduced in November, the French government, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said in a tweet. Travelers from the region will still be subject to health measures applicable to travelers from third countries.
European nations had suspended most air travel from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe as scientists scrambled to assess the severity of the omicron variant.
Sweden Orders Restaurants to Close Early (7:05 a.m. NY)
Sweden will introduce new restrictions to curb an unprecedented surge in Covid infections, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said Monday.
Restaurants won’t be allowed to seat groups larger than eight and will have to close by 11 p.m. Public events with more than 50 people are only permitted if attendees present proof of vaccination. The curbs take effect on Wednesday.
Cold-Triggered T Cells Fend Off Covid (6:01 a.m. NY)
Researchers found higher levels of T cells against certain colds in people who didn’t develop Covid while living with someone who had the disease, according to a study led by the U.K.’s Imperial College London. The prior illnesses were caused by other coronaviruses related to SARS-CoV-2.
The findings provide further evidence of the protective effects of T cells, an arm of the immune system that’s gaining attention as the pandemic stretches into its third year and new variants like omicron erode vaccine protection.
European Omicron Peak Seen by March (5:42 p.m. HK)
The omicron wave is likely to peak in Europe by March, an epidemiologist and pandemic adviser to the French president said. While the variant is almost certain to become dominant across Europe, the wave of cases is likely to peter out in the next six weeks, Arnaud Fontanet said.
“The Omicron wave is going to be relatively short in time,” he said. “I would expect by March the peak of the wave will be gone.”
The epidemiologist urged people to reduce contacts to help stop the spread. A 20% reduction in contacts could reduce hospitalizations by a factor of 2, he said.
Spain to Buy Pfizer’s Covid Drug (5:41 p.m. HK)
Spain will buy about 344,000 doses of Pfizer’s antiviral pill, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in an interview with radio station Cadena Ser. The government will also regulate the prices of antigen tests, which have surged this past month.
Indonesia to Ease Curbs in Java-Bali (5:38 p.m. HK)
Indonesia plans to ease restrictions across Java and Bali islands with a review set for next week, said Luhut Panjaitan, coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs who’s overseeing the pandemic response. The government will shift its priority from hospitals to at-home care as omicron cases have been mild and most are found among travelers from overseas.
H.K. Requires Govt Staff to Get Vaccinated (5:37 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong’s government will require all its staff to get vaccinated before Feb. 16, local media outlet HK01 reported, citing unidentified people. Those unvaccinated will be barred from work. Separately, Hong Kong will reduce government quarantine for close contacts of Covid cases to 14 days from 21 days due to the increasing pressure at quarantine facilities, health official Chuang Shuk-kwan said at a briefing.
Uganda Reopens Schools After Two Years (4:14 p.m. HK)
Uganda reopened schools Monday that were closed for nearly two years to slow the spread of Covid-19 as most educators have been partially inoculated against the virus and stringent safety measures have been put in place.
With one of the youngest populations in the world, Uganda had at least 15.2 million learners in education institutions by March 2020, when they were shut due to the outbreak of the pandemic.
Bangladesh to Keep Schools Open Amid Surge (4:03 p.m. HK)
Bangladesh will keep schools open despite a fresh surge in cases, Education Minister Dipu Moni said Monday, adding that students 12 and above will require at least one vaccine dose to be allowed back to in-person classes.
Unvaccinated students will only be allowed to attend online classes, Moni said. The country reported 1,491 new virus cases on Sunday. Bangladesh opened up vaccinations for children above 12 in November.
Singapore Deaths Lowest Among Moderna Takers (3:47 p.m. HK)
Singapore saw the fewest deaths among those with the Moderna Inc. shot and the most among those with Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s vaccine, as the city-state’s highly inoculated population provides a glimpse into how different immunizations are holding up in the real world. The data is likely to add to further concerns about the effectiveness of the widely-used Chinese vaccine, which studies have found to be inadequate against the omicron variant.
Novartis to Push Forward With Covid Drug (3:34 p.m. HK)
Novartis AG will push forward with a potential Covid medicine after promising results showing a lower risk of bad outcomes for patients who took the antiviral in a mid-sized study.
Patients who took the therapy, ensovibep, had a 78% lower risk of needing an emergency health-care visit, being hospitalized or dying in the 407-person study. The compound also cleared the main hurdle of the study, which was to reduce the amount of virus in the body over eight days.
If it’s approved, Novartis’s antiviral will be the first to attack the coronavirus’s spike protein in multiple ways, potentially making it more effective against a range of current and future variants.
Singapore Committed to Reopening Borders (3:25 p.m. HK)
Singapore is committed to steadily reopening its borders and aims to set up more quarantine-free travel agreements, Transport Minister S. Iswaran said in Parliament on Monday as the Asian country battles a rising number of cases.
“Our goal is to restore quarantine-free travel with more countries and regions as allowed for by the public health assessment,” he said. “We remain confident of the long-term potential of air travel and are resolutely committed to working with Changi Airport Group and airline partners to rebuild and reclaim Singapore’s status as an international air hub.”
Ireland Said to Consider Mandatory Vaccination (3:08 p.m. HK)
Irish health officials are set to consider mandatory vaccination against Covid-19, with a paper being prepared on the legal and ethical aspects, the Irish Times reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.
Some ministers want to remove the current 8 p.m. limit on trading hours, according to the newspaper.
Ireland reported 21,384 cases of Covid-19 on Jan. 9, following a record of 26,122 on Jan. 8. There were 83 confirmed cases in intensive care. 92% of people over 12 were fully vaccinated as of Jan. 8, according to government data.
Germany Eyes Tighter Curbs as Cases Surge (2:57 p.m. HK)
Germany may need to tighten restrictions before the next scheduled pandemic-policy meeting on Jan. 24, according to a health expert from the Green party, a member of the ruling coalition. Test requirements for people who haven’t yet gotten booster shoots may need to be widened nationwide to fitness studios and other areas, Janosch Dahmen told Deutschlandfunk radio.
On Monday, the country reported 375.7 cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days, the highest level in nearly a month. Given the controversy over a general vaccine mandate, the government should move ahead with making shots compulsory for more public-sector employees such as police and teachers, Dahmen said.
Advantage Djokovic (2:47 p.m. HK)
Novak Djokovic may be able to stay in Australia and contest a record 21st Grand Slam victory after a court quashed the cancellation of his visa and ordered his immediate release from detention in a hotel.
Judge Anthony Kelly said the world mens’ tennis No. 1 didn’t have enough time to fully respond after officials notified him early on Thursday morning that he had insufficient proof to enter the country under current Covid rules. In the late Monday afternoon decision via a virtual hearing, he ordered the government to pay the star’s costs and release him.
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