(Bloomberg) — The White House is moving to prevent future shortages of Covid-19 tests by ensuring they continue to be produced in large numbers.
A South African trial will assess the safety and impact of varying doses of Johnson & Johnson’s and Pfizer Inc.’s vaccines as boosters for those infected with HIV. European Union regulators said that frequent boosters could adversely affect the immune system — and may simply not be feasible.
Australia’s cases are surging and worsening worker shortages. In New York City meantime, infection rates are “plateauing,” according to Governor Kathy Hochul. About 400,000 Israelis have gotten a fourth vaccine dose.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases top 313 million; deaths pass 5.5 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 9.52 billion shots administered
- Global supply chains brace for impact as omicron reaches China
- Hong Kong school shutdown decried by parents as ‘Groundhog Day’
- Covid test makers struggle to cope with whiplash from omicron
Pfizer, J&J Shots to Be Tested in HIV Patients (5:05 p.m. HK)
A South African trial will assess the safety and impact of varying doses of Johnson & Johnson’s and Pfizer Inc.’s vaccines as boosters for those infected with HIV as well as the wider population.
With about 13% of South Africa’s population infected with HIV, the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines in generating a response in immuno-compromised individuals has been a key concern. HIV causes AIDS, which weakens the immune system.
Israel Sees Cases Peaking in Two Weeks (4:47 p.m. HK)
Israel’s latest Covid wave will likely reach its peak — triggering somewhere between 800,000 and 2 million cases — in about two weeks, according to researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The scientists anticipate about 1,000 to 2,000 severe cases in the heavily vaccinated country. They recommended limiting gatherings in closed places in order to slow the pace of infections and ensure the continued functioning of the economy, as well as proper treatment of those who are hospitalized.
Ireland to Ease Restrictions for Contact Cases (3:41 p.m. HK)
The Irish government will consider guidance to ease restrictions for close contact cases when it meets Wednesday.
People who have received a booster vaccine won’t have to isolate if they are a close contact of a case if they have no symptoms under the advice being considered, according to national broadcaster RTE. Anyone with Covid-19 may also be required to isolate for 7 days, rather than 10 days currently.
Germany May Not Need Mandatory Vaccination (3:30 p.m. HK)
Germany could abandon a plan for mandatory vaccination should the pandemic’s evolution make it unnecessary, according to a senior lawmaker in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party.
“The key thing is that we are prepared and we have the tools to anticipate the situation and not always be playing catchup,” Dagmar Schmidt, a deputy SPD caucus leader, said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio.
Germany posted a record increase in infections and the seven-day incidence rate per 100,000 people climbed back above 400 as the omicron variant spread in Europe’s biggest economy. The number of Covid patients in ICUs has nonetheless been steadily dropping from the latest peak last month.
South Korea May Extend Distancing Rules (3:18 p.m. HK)
South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party and government held a meeting to discuss whether to extend social-distancing rules that are scheduled to expire on Sunday, a ruling party spokeswoman said.
Biden Team to Prod Covid Test Production (3 p.m. HK)
The White House is moving to prevent future shortages of tests by ensuring they continue to be produced in large numbers even after the surging omicron variant recedes.
“We’re going to keep moving at this speed, and faster, to get volume up on a monthly basis,” Tom Inglesby, President Joe Biden’s newly appointed testing coordinator, said in an interview.
Biden is under pressure to bolster availability of testing as the highly transmissible omicron variant fuels a record number of coronavirus cases. Americans are waiting in long lines — sometimes for hours — to get tested, and quickly snap up the limited supply of at-home kits from store shelves, leading to widespread frustration that poses a political risk for the president.
India Cases Surge Over 300% in a Week (2:49 p.m. HK)
India reported a more than 300% weekly surge in coronavirus cases on Wednesday to the highest since May last year.
Hospitalizations in the capital Delhi rose to 2,161 from 782 a week ago, according to local government data. The federal government has asked local administrations to ensure hospitals have a 48-hour buffer stock of oxygen supplies.
Omicron Worsens Australia Worker Shortage (1:37 p.m. HK)
Australia was already facing a record shortfall of workers before spiraling omicron infections triggered widespread absenteeism.
Job vacancies climbed to a record, up 18.5% to almost 400,000 in the three months through November. With the virus now raging, a key industry body is warning that firms in food and logistics are reporting 10%-50% of their workers are sick or in isolation, leaving supermarket shelves empty.
The omicron variant represents about 90% of cases in New South Wales.
China Vice Premier Urges Action in Henan (1:31 p.m. HK)
Vice Premier Sun Chunlan called on authorities in Henan province in central China to adopt more targeted measures to curb infections after virus flareups there in recent days, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Hangzhou city in China’s southeast, meanwhile, will offer immigrant workers digital coupons to encourage them to stay in the city and avoid travelling during the Lunar New Year holiday, according to a report. Residents of three districts in the Northern Chinese port city of Tianjin were required to curtail movements and dine-in services and entertainment facilities were shut. Toyota Motor Corp. has stopped work at its plant in Tianjin since Monday.
Most Cases in Osaka Since September (1:24 p.m. HK)
Japan’s Osaka prefecture is expected to report about 1,700 coronavirus cases Wednesday, broadcaster NHK reported, the most since September. While Japan is still posting some of the lowest infection numbers among developed countries, Covid cases have started to pick up again in recent weeks.
Korea Approves Novavax Vaccine (1:13 p.m. HK)
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will allow the use of Novavax Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine, provided a report of the final clinical trial result is submitted, according to a statement. The vaccine is manufactured by SK Bioscience Co. in Korea.
Meanwhile, about 40 officials with Samsung Electronics Co., SK Group and Hyundai Motor Group who attended a trade show in Las Vegas last week were infected with Covid, Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, without citing anyone.
Philippines’ Public Transport Rules Tightened (11:52 a.m. HK)
The Philippines banned unvaccinated people from public transport in the capital following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to restrict their movement as infections surge.
Commuters are required to show proofs of vaccination before riding buses, jeepneys, trains and other public transport in Metro Manila, the transportation department said Wednesday. The “no vaccination, no ride” policy will be in effect while the capital is under Alert Level 3, the third-highest in a five-step scale.
Djokovic Awaits Australia Visa Decision (11:47 a.m. HK)
Novak Djokovic’s shot at a record 21st Grand Slam victory rests on the shoulders of one Australian minister. Immigration chief Alex Hawke is still weighing whether he’ll exercise special personal powers that allow him to cancel Djokovic’s visa and spoil his hopes of winning the Australian Open this month.
Djokovic, meantime, admitted on Wednesday that he attended a newspaper interview and photo shoot when he knew he was infectious with Covid-19 and blamed “human error” for an incorrect travel declaration.
China Hands Out Jail Terms for Virus Lapses (10:22 a.m. HK)
China has sent three people to prison for up to four-plus years over breaches of rules that led to a virus outbreak, in one of the harshest punishments for lapses in enforcing the government’s strict Covid-zero policy.
The violations at a cargo company in Dalian, a port in the northeast, included failing to ensure employees wore masks, avoided visiting public venues after hours, and were properly quarantined and tested, the Global Times reported late Tuesday. Those oversights allowed four people to infect 83 others.
China Border With Vietnam Reopens (10:13 a.m. HK)
China’s Guangxi region resumed customs clearance Jan. 10 at three border crossings with Vietnam’s northern province of Quang Ninh after thousands of transport trucks were stranded for weeks.
Okinawa Sees Medical System Limits (10:05 a.m. HK)
Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, the site of the nation’s biggest Covid outbreak, saw the number of health-care workers taking sick leave climb to a record of 503, Kyodo News reported. That’s forced 15 medical institutions to limit the capacity of emergency patients they take in.
The prefecture is home to the bulk of American troops in Japan, and the U.S. agreed to limit military personnel’s movements off base in the country after regional governors blamed them for helping to introduce the omicron variant.
J&J Vaccine Gets Warning on Bleeding (8:28 a.m. HK)
The fact sheet for Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has been revised by U.S. regulators to warn of the risk of a rare bleeding disorder.
The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter to the company on Tuesday that adverse-event reports suggested an increased risk of immune thrombocytopenia during the 42 days following vaccination. Symptoms include bruising or excessive or unusual bleeding, according to the agency.
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