(Bloomberg) — HSBC Bank Plc and other banks closed retail branches in Hong Kong as the Covid outbreak there grows. The city reported a record of over 600 infections, putting pressure on the government to ramp up restrictions.
Australia will allow double-vaccinated visa holders to enter the country from Feb. 21, ending about two years of strict international border controls. Canada’s capital Ottawa declared a state of emergency as police struggled to rein in protests against vaccine mandates.
China locked down a city of 3.6 million people, and a top epidemiologist said the country has no plans to adjust its zero-Covid policy.
Key Developments:
Virus Tracker: Cases top 395 million; deaths pass 5.7 million
Vaccine Tracker: More than 10.2 billion shots administered
Beijing Olympics locks out omicron but internet is open
Covid rebellion brews in Canada, sending warning across globe
Is Covid becoming endemic? What would that mean?: QuickTake
New Jersey to End Student Mask Rule (7:48 a.m. NY)
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will no longer require students and school employees to wear masks from March, the New York Times reported. Murphy will officially announce the removal of the mandate on Monday.
More City of London Workers Return to Offices (6:41 a.m. NY)
More people are back in City of London offices than at any time since December, when the government told people to work from home to slow the spread of omicron.
Almost 70% of staff were back in the workplace in the financial district on Thursday, according to data compiled by Google data.
In mid-December, the government advised employees to work from home if possible, and required people to wear masks in shops and on public transport. The restrictions were eased in January as cases began to fall.
Hong Kong Banks Close Branches (6:17 a.m. NY)
Major retail banks are changing operating hours and closing local branches, according to The Standard, in response to a rapidly growing Covid outbreak that has the city reeling.
Bank of China Ltd. shut more than 50 branches temporarily and reduced operating hours for its remaining stores, and Hang Seng Bank Plc closed seven branches and 11 metro station offices until further notice. HSBC, Bank of East Asia, Chong Hing Bank, OCBC Wing Hang Bank and ICBC also announced closures.
Czech Republic to Ease Restrictions (06:10 a.m. NY)
The Czech Republic had 9,060 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours through Sunday, the lowest in about three weeks. The government plans to lift some measures this week, including a ban on non-vaccinated people using restaurants and some services. The mandatory bi-weekly testing at schools and work places will also be scrapped on Feb. 18.
Hong Kong Weighs Curbs as Cases Surge (6:09 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam is set to discuss further restrictions at an Executive Council meeting on Tuesday after a record of 614 new coronavirus infections were reported, with cases doubling every three days.
Potential measures include limiting numbers at restaurants and placing restrictions on religious venues, according to local media reports. The government may also lower the public gathering limit to two people in a return to one of the strictest anti-virus measures.
Germany Discusses Gradual Easing (4:49 p.m. HK)
Germany’s health minister expects Covid restrictions to be eased “long before Easter.” A gradual relaxation may be discussed at a summit between the state and federal governments on Feb. 16, Karl Lauterbach said on Bild TV late Sunday.
The “specter” of Covid may have subsided by the fall, but only if a vaccination mandate is introduced, he said. Germany’s outbreak is at record levels, with more than 1,400 infections per 100,000 people over the past seven days.
Indonesia Tightens Restrictions (1:53 p.m. HK)
Indonesia has tightened mobility restrictions in Jakarta, Bandung and Bali to the second-highest level as omicron cases continue to spread rapidly. The restrictions, which include limiting capacity at public places and reducing operating hours for cafes and restaurants, will be implemented for one week.
Australia to Reopen for Visa Holders (11:38 a.m. HK)
Australia will allow double-vaccinated visa holders to enter the country from Feb. 21, ending around two years of strict international border controls introduced to stem the spread of Covid-19.
The announcement is the final step in a gradual unwinding of international border restrictions, which kicked off in November. Still, Western Australia remains closed to the rest of the country, after delaying its domestic border reopening.
The decision to allow vaccinated international arrivals comes as Covid infections, hospitalizations and intensive care admissions trend down in most parts of the country.
Chinese City Locked Down (10:58 a.m. HK)
A southwestern Chinese border city was locked down after mass testing identified nearly 100 people with Covid, yet another outbreak that’s extending the country’s protracted battle to bring infections back to zero.
A total of 98 people tested positive on Sunday in Baise, a city of 3.6 million people next to Vietnam. Travel was banned within the city and to the rest of China and all residents were asked to stay at home.
China has no plans to adjust its policy for the time being, Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Global Times.
Protesters Cause Chaos in Australian Capital (10:46 a.m. HK)
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 U.S. 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.
Korea Cases Could Reach 170,000 (10:26 a.m. HK)
South Korea’s daily cases could increase 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.
President Moon Jae-in said it’s a serious situation as it’s unclear when the wave will peak. South Korea confirmed 35,286 more cases on Monday.
Thai Ministry to Propose More Easing (9:04 a.m. HK)
Thailand’s Health Ministry will propose further easing of containment measures later this week, the Bangkok Post reported. The ministry will encourage people to live with the virus rather than cope with lockdowns, the newspaper reported.
Ottawa Declares Emergency as Protests Intensify (5 p.m. NY)
Canada’s capital declared a state of emergency Sunday as police struggled to rein in ongoing protests against vaccine mandates.
The demonstrations started in reaction to Canadian and U.S. laws that went into effect in January, requiring truckers crossing the border to be fully vaccinated. They have since morphed into a rally against Covid restrictions more broadly.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said that the increasingly rowdy demonstrations posed a “serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents.”
