(Bloomberg) — Germany is set to join other European countries in phasing out Covid-19 restrictions over the coming weeks, according to a proposal published in local media.
Hong Kong’s leader said the outbreak of the omicron variant has overwhelmed the city’s government, but denied she plans to impose a total lockdown like those in mainland Chinese cities.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic is willing to forgo trophies and the Wimbledon tournament if that’s the price for not getting a vaccine.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases pass 413.7 million; deaths top 5.8 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 10.4 billion doses administered
- Here’s what the pandemic has in store for the world next
- Asian airlines want governments to end travel restrictions
- What experts know about children and Covid: QuickTake
Hong Kong Doesn’t Plan Full Lockdown (5:47 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the city had no plans for a citywide lockdown to help bring cases back to zero, even as she acknowledged that a growing omicron outbreak has exceeded its capacity to respond.
“The scale and speed of the spread of the virus has overwhelmed our capacity in the fight against the pandemic,” Lam said. “The situation is very serious.”
She added that Hong Kong will continue with district-based lockdowns of specific buildings or neighborhoods to launch targeted Covid testing blitzes. Hong Kong reported 1,619 new infections on Tuesday.
Indian Carrier Rebounds From Covid Hit (5:11 p.m. HK)
SpiceJet Ltd. delivered a surprise profit after making losses for seven straight quarters as ebbing Covid cases boosted domestic travel.
Chairman Ajay Singh in October flagged that the no-frills carrier had a “reasonable chance” of returning to profit in the December quarter. The company has cut costs and renegotiated aircraft leases to prune expenses.
Germany Set to Ease Curbs (5 p.m. HK)
Germany will start easing pandemic restrictions this week under a three-stage plan that would see most curbs gone by March 20, according to draft proposals published in local media.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz will hold talks with regional leaders on Wednesday. The draft prepared for the meeting includes immediately removing the requirement for people to be vaccinated or recovered to enter non-essential stores and allowing private gatherings of as many as 20 people, German public broadcaster ARD and other media reported.
In a second step from March 4, nightclubs will be allowed to reopen for those who are vaccinated or recovered or have a valid negative test, and major events will be allowed to host more people. In the third phase, employers would no longer be required to allow employees to work from home, while mask-wearing would remain compulsory on public transport and in most indoor public spaces.
Djokovic Ready to Skip Wimbledon to Avoid Vaccine (3:23 p.m. HK)
The world’s top tennis player said he’s willing to sacrifice trophies and skip Wimbledon in order to avoid a Covid-19 shot. Djokovic is at the heart of a contentious global debate over vaccine mandates. Last month, the 20-time Grand Slam winner was deported from Australia after a protracted dispute over his vaccine status.
“The principles of decision-making on my body are more important than any title, or anything else,” Djokovic said in an interview with the BBC.
Canada Protesters Defy Trudeau’s Emergency Powers (2 p.m. HK)
Demonstrators against vaccine mandates halted traffic at two major border crossings in Western Canada and some vowed to stay even as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used a law giving his government emergency powers to end blockades.
The main border posts in Alberta and Manitoba were closed Monday, with commercial traffic to the U.S. blocked by semi-trailers and farm equipment driven there by people opposed to Covid-19 vaccine rules.
One Chinese City Locks Down, Another Lifts (9:45 a.m. HK)
China continues to battle Covid flareups as Manzhouli, a city of 300,000 people in Inner Mongolia bordering Russia, said it would enter lockdown after five people tested positive for Covid.
Suzhou, a city near Shanghai in eastern China, also found 12 Covid infections, mostly at the city’s industrial park. A wafer factory run by Taiwan’s United Microelectronics Corp. had to suspend production in the city after employees tested positive.
Meanwhile, the southwestern border city of Baise started to lift lockdown restrictions Tuesday after its omicron-led cluster outbreak appeared to come under control. The city of 3.6 million residents near Vietnam entered lockdown last week. China reported 47 Covid infections overall on Tuesday, with 28 of them in the northeastern coastal city of Huludao.
Biden’s Global Vaccine Push Falters (9:20 a.m. HK)
U.S. President Joe Biden’s effort to vaccinate the world against Covid-19 is falling short, with the globe not on pace to meet a 2021 goal of vaccinating 70% of the world population by later this year, Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged at a virtual meeting with other countries. Only about 54% of the global population is vaccinated so far.
Singapore Eyes Easing, Commits to Reopening (8:24 a.m. HK)
Singapore will be able to ease virus restrictions more once the current omicron wave has peaked and starts to subside, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Monday in a response to questions in parliament.
Separately, the South East Asian nation remains committed to reopening its borders and extending its vaccinated travel lane arrangements with other countries, deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat said Monday at the Singapore Airshow.
Japan to Ease Business Travel Requirements (7:30 a.m. HK)
Japan’s government will ease requirements for business travelers to the country, no longer requiring them to submit a detailed itinerary of their trip prior to arrival, the Nikkei reported. The requirement, which was in place before the current border controls that effectively halted business travel were implemented, won’t be reinstated after the curbs are eased from March. The move was among measures that companies had criticized for adding excessive paperwork.
Most Japanese want to keep strict virus border controls, according to a poll, even as the country prepares to ease one of the most stringent policies in the developed world.
Microsoft Returning to Office on Feb. 28 (7:20 a.m. HK)
Microsoft Corp. told many U.S. employees to begin returning to their offices starting Feb. 28, making a fresh attempt to get operations back to normal as Covid-19 cases abate.
In September, Microsoft scrapped a goal of reopening on Oct. 4 because the delta variant was raging. That was followed by the even-more-contagious omicron strain.
The Redmond, Washington-based company, which has said it will remain a flexible workplace, has told employees that they’ll be able to work from home up to half the week without discussing it with managers.
California to Keep School Mask Mandate for Now (6 a.m. HK)
California plans to keep its mask mandate for schools in place for now, but officials said they may soon announce a timeline for ending the requirement. The most-populous state will reassess the mandate on Feb. 28.
“Masking requirements were never put in place to be there forever,” Mark Ghaly, California’s secretary of health and human services, said at a briefing. “It’s not a question of if — it’s a question of when.”
Pernod Ricard Asks H.K. Execs to Relocate (5:45 a.m. HK)
Pernod Ricard has asked top executives from its Hong Kong office to relocate temporarily to avoid strict Covid-19 curbs, as China prepares to take a greater role in the city’s response to the Omicron wave, the Financial Times reported. Dubai is being considered as one temporary solution.
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