(Bloomberg) — President Joe Biden said America is “back to work” and putting the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, after the labor market showed unexpected strength last month even as cases of the virus surged.
New cases and hospitalizations are now declining across the U.S., with weekly infections in Illinois dropping by about half.
Moderna Inc.’s vaccine received unanimous backing from a group of key U.S.
health advisers after its full approval earlier this week from the Food and Drug Administration.
Singapore’s infections surged after the Lunar New Year holiday with the number of new local cases tripling on Friday.
Hong Kong will propose tightened social distancing rules on Tuesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said at a briefing, without giving details.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases top 389.9 million; deaths pass 5.7 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 10.2 billion shots administered
- CDC expands hunt for early warnings of Covid in sewage waste
- Covid rebellion brews in Canada, sending warning across globe
- Covid-zero keeps Beijing Winter Olympics opening a muted affair
- Is Covid becoming endemic?
What would that mean?: QuickTake
Pennsylvania Doctor Fired Over Ivermectin (4:02 p.m. NY)
A Pennsylvania doctor was fired after being accused of prescribing ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19.
Tower Health, a regional health-care provider in southeastern Pennsylvania, said in a statement that the employment of Edith Behr was “terminated immediately.” The statement said doctors may in some circumstances prescribe medications for “off-label” purposes but the use of the two drugs, not approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration against Covid-19, did not meet requirements.
Moderna Shot Backed by CDC Panel (2:11 p.m. NY)
Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 shot received unanimous backing from a group of key U.S.
health advisers after its approval, a move that could help encourage the hesitant to get vaccinated as the omicron variant continues to spread across the country.
All 13 members of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend the two-dose regimen for adults on Friday.
Moderna’s shot, to be sold under the brand name Spikevax, won full approval this week from the Food and Drug Administration, becoming the second Covid vaccine to gain such a clearance.
The similar messenger RNA shot from partners Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE was fully approved by regulators last year. Previously, the shots were available under emergency-use authorizations.
Illinois Weekly Cases Halve (1:35 p.m.
NY)
Illinois’s weekly Covid-19 cases have dropped by about half, according to a report from the state’s department of public health, as the surge driven by the omicron variant subsides around the U.S.
Confirmed and probable weekly cases fell to 60,389, from 123,812 a week earlier, the department said on its website Friday.
The state reported 608 deaths during the week, compared with 843 a week ago as positive cases as a percent of total tests declined to 5.8% from 9.4%.
Governor J.B. Pritzker on Friday said the weakening of the outbreak could lead to an easing of some virus restrictions.
He noted that one reason for the reduction in cases was rules like a state-wide mask mandate in indoor public spaces. But he said: “I believe that we should remove masks as soon as we possibly can. I am constantly listening to the doctors and scientists and encouraging them when can we do this.”
Biden Says U.S.
‘Back to Work’ (12:24 p.m. NY)
President Joe Biden said America is “back to work” and putting the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, after the labor market showed unexpected strength last month even as cases of the virus surged.
“America’s job machine is going stronger than ever,” Biden said at the White House on Friday.
He praised “the extraordinary resilience and grit of the American people, and American capitalism.”
Nonfarm payrolls jumped 467,000 in January, well over the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists that called for 125,000, though forecasts ranged widely.
After peaking in early January, Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations driven largely by the omicron variant are declining: New cases fell almost 38% in the week ending Feb.
2, and hospitalizations dropped 18% in that same period, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Singapore Cases Triple (11:03 a.m. NY)
Singapore’s infections surged after the Lunar New Year holiday with the number of new local cases tripling on Friday, according to Ministry of Health’s data.
The city-state reported 13,046 new local cases, including those detected through rapid testings, from 4,087 on Thursday.
Singapore celebrated the Lunar New Year on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2.
Luxembourg to Ease Restrictions (8:54 a.m. NY)
The situation in Luxembourg is favorable enough to ease Covid-related restrictions soon, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said at a press conference on Friday, without specifying an exact time line.
An 11 p.m.
curfew in restaurants and bars will be lifted, quarantine rules will be eased and the 2G+ system that’s been in place in most public spaces, such as restaurants, cinemas and fitness centers, will be replaced by a 3G system.
While urging people who haven’t done so yet to get vaccinated, Bettel said an easing of the restrictions is necessary also to help with people’s psychological wellbeing.
Biden Administration Says Covid Funds Low (6:21 a.m.
NY)
The Biden administration may have to ask Congress to approve additional aid to fund coronavirus testing, therapeutics and vaccines, the Washington Post reports, citing people familiar with the matter and documents it has seen.
Greece Eases Access for EU Vaccinated (6:05 a.m.
NY)
Holders of a valid European Union vaccination certificate can soon enter Greece without the need for a mandatory Covid test, Health Minister Athanasios Plevris told state-run ERT TV Friday.
The change takes effect Feb. 7.
The move is another step to enhance tourist flows to the country, according to Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias. The Greek summer season will start earlier than ever before on March 1, he said.
Hong Kong May Get New Distancing Curbs (5:16 a.m.
NY)
Hong Kong will propose tightened social distancing rules during next Tuesday’s executive council meeting, Chief Executive Carrie Lam says at a briefing on Friday. Lam didn’t give details on the measures.
Hong Kong reported 131 cases, with 130 locally transmitted.
Fifty nine of the 130 new locally-transmitted coronavirus infections reported on Friday are of unknown origin, Department of Health official Chuang Shuk-kwan says at a daily briefing. About 195 preliminary positive cases are detected.
Poland Wave May Have Peaked (5:54 p.m.
HK)
Poland recorded 47,534 new cases, 17% fewer than a week ago. The number of confirmed infections fall on a weekly base for a second day, prompting the country’s Health Minister to suggest that the peak of the current omicron wave may be over, with remote schooling imposed last week helping to halve quarantines.
The government remains reluctant to impose any further restrictions, including vaccine passes.
Moderna Shot Copied by S. African Firm (5:51 p.m. HK)
South Africa’s Afrigen Biologics & Vaccines Ltd.
said it has made a vaccine that matches the one by Moderna Inc. after that company rebuffed it in its request for a partnership.
Afrigen, part of the World Health Organization’s mRNA technology transfer hub in Cape Town, obtained the publicly available sequence of the Moderna shot from Stanford University and has now made its own version, Petro Terblanche, the managing director of Afrigen, said.
Spain Set to Relax Mask Rules (4:49 p.m.
HK)
Spain’s government will suspend the obligation to wear face masks outdoors as soon as next week, Cadena Ser reported.
The order, which was reintroduced last December to stem the omicron variant, will take effect by next Wednesday, the radio station said, citing people in the government it didn’t identify.
Subvariant Is a Fifth of South Africa Cases (3:52 p.m.
HK)
The omicron subvariant BA.2, which appears to be more transmissible than the original strain, accounted for almost a fifth of South African cases in January compared with 4% in December, a medical official said.
Germany’s Record Cases (1:53 p.m.
HK)
Europe’s biggest economy reported 248,838 new cases as of Friday morning, compared with 236,120 the day before, according to the country’s public health authority RKI.
It’s the third straight day of record infections.
The 7-day incidence rate, which has been steadily climbing since the start of the year, also rose to a record 1,349.5 per 100,000 people.
China Reports 9 Olympic Cases (11:22 a.m. HK)
China reported nine infections among Olympic athletes and officials arriving at the airport and in a “closed-loop” system Thursday.
According to a statement from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympics, there were 12 other infections involving “stakeholders,” which include include broadcasting staffers, members of international federations and the media.
There have been 308 cases among people involved with the Games since the count began Jan. 23.
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