(Bloomberg) — The U.K. Treasury is pushing to end free PCR testing within weeks as the government starts lifting what’s left of its pandemic-related curbs. European travel firms get a business booster as nations ease restrictions and vaccinated Britons head south during a school break.
French police intercepted self-described “freedom convoys” planning to blockade the capital in protest against the national Covid-19 vaccine pass.
China granted emergency approval for Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 pill, a sign the country could be opening up to foreign treatments for the virus. The nation has given more than 3 billion vaccine doses, though Hong Kong reported record daily inflections.
Key Developments:
- Virus Tracker: Cases approach 409 million; deaths top 5.8 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 10.3 billion shots administered
- The Era of Pandemic Restrictions Is Fast Coming to an End
- Mask guidelines around U.S. ease, bringing confusion and relief
- Why China is sticking with its Covid-zero strategy: QuickTake
China Gives 3 Billion Doses, Approves Pfizer Pill (7:45 a.m. NY)
China has given 3.04 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines so far, the government said. That’s almost 30% of the world total.
The tally came as the nation granted emergency approval for Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 pill, a sign of potentially opening up to foreign treatments for the virus.
Paxlovid’s import registration was approved Friday, the National Medical Products Administration said. The Chinese regulator asked for further research results to be submitted in a timely manner.
It’s China’s first approval for a foreign Covid-19 drug. The mRNA Covid vaccine co-developed by Pfizer and BioNTech SE, for which China’s Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co. secured rights for the Greater China region, has yet to be approved in China.
Malaysia, Indonesia Infections Surge (6:55 NY)
Malaysia’s new coronavirus cases neared a level last seen in August, when the country was battling the peak of an outbreak of the delta variant. The nation reported 22,802 new infections Saturday, the most since Aug. 26.
The rising vaccination rate — nearly 80% of the population completed the regime and 56% of adults received booster shots — is keeping hospital admission rates manageable. The government has said it will avoid a repeat of last year’s lockdowns that pushed the economy into contraction for two quarters.
Neighboring Indonesia reported 55,209 new cases, the most since July.
U.K. Treasury Wants to End Free Tests: Guardian (6:10 a.m. NY)
The U.K. Treasury is pushing to end most free Covid testing as soon as next month, the Guardian reported, citing unidentified sources.
The Treasury would like most so-called PCR testing for people with symptoms of the virus to stop possibly by the end of March, the newspaper said. This would exclude people in vulnerable categories or hospital settings, while people showing virus symptoms would receive either free lateral flow tests or no testing, according to the report.
Norway Ditches Face Masks, Most Restrictions (6 a.m. NY)
Norway removed the remaining virus restrictions because it considers their effects more damaging than higher infection rates. Norway joins neighbors Denmark and Sweden in making those changes, expecting the coronavirus to turn endemic.
“We are well protected, and aren’t served by pushing the pandemic out in time,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said in Oslo. Face masks are no longer needed, and people no longer need to maintain a 1-meter (3-foot) distance or isolate after being infected, he said.
French Police Intercept Protesters (5:32 p.m. HK)
French police intervened early Saturday to prevent protesters inspired by Canada’s “freedom convoys” from blockading the capital.
Officers intercepted three convoys on the Paris ring road, including one group comprising 450 vehicles. Authorities preventively set up barricades and armored vehicles at some Paris intersections, including along the Champs-Elysees.
France banned the “convois de la liberte,” or freedom convoys, protesting the country’s Covid-19 vaccine pass. That bars unvaccinated people from most social activities, including going to restaurants and cultural spaces.
Hong Kong Reports Record Infections (4:35 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong reported a record 1,514 daily virus cases, as city officials prepare to meet mainland counterparts in China to discuss ways of combating a worsening outbreak that is straining health-care resources. The city reported 1,325 daily inflections on Friday, its previous highest tally.
U.K. Travel Firms Get a Boost (1 p.m. HK)
U.K. travel firms get a much-needed boost starting this weekend as thousands of vaccinated Britons head to continental Europe for the mid-term school break, kicking off what could be a bumper year for travel.
Eurostar International Ltd. expects the biggest leap in customer numbers since October over the 10 days through Feb. 20, with more than 125,000 people booked to board its Channel Tunnel express trains, surpassing the total for the whole of January. Many of the nine daily services from London to Paris are sold out.
The U.K. arm of TUI AG, Europe’s biggest tour operator, said booking levels for its flight and hotel packages are comparable to 2019 levels.
Hong Kong Bank Branches Shuttered (12:12 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong’s banks will suspend operations at one in every four branches in the city after a number of employees were infected, the South China Morning Post reported.
HSBC Holdings Plc, Standard Chartered and Bank of China and another 13 major lenders will close a total of 276 branches, the newspaper said. The closures started last week and will continue Monday.
China Has More Infections at Olympics (11:05 a.m. HK)
China reported four Covid infections among Olympic athletes and team officials. Total Covid infections among people involved with the Beijing Winter Olympics since Jan. 4 rose to 498, according to Bloomberg calculations based on official data.
Japan to Ease Border Controls: Nikkei (10:49 a.m. HK)
Japan will ease its strict border controls, beginning with foreign workers and students, the Nikkei reported. The government will start accepting more than 1,000 people a day this month and will gradually raise the cap to several thousand.
The controls, put in place in late November as the omicron variant started to spread, are by far the strictest among the Group of Seven nations.
Germany Reports 209,789 New Cases (10:18 a.m. HK)
Germany reported 209,789 new Covid-19 cases, down from 240,172 the day before. New deaths associated with the virus rose by 198, bringing the total to 119,877.
Thailand Keeps Curbs With Cases at 5-Month High (9:35 a.m. HK)
Thailand’s new Covid-19 infections surged to a five-month high, prompting the government to keep containment measures in Bangkok and other areas to curb the outbreak.
The number of cases rose to 16,330, the highest single-day tally since Aug. 29, according to government data. The country also reported 25 new deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities to 22,387.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha asked Bangkok and nine other provinces with the highest number of daily infections to take steps to contain the outbreak, Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the Covid panel, said yesterday.
Walmart Drops Mask Rule for Vaccinated Workers (8:10 a.m. HK)
Walmart no longer will require fully vaccinated employees to wear masks unless required by state or local rules.
In addition, a policy allowing five extra days of paid time off for workers testing positive for Covid-19 will end March 31 as planned, Walmart said in a memo to employees Friday. Daily health screenings will no longer be needed for workers, except in California, New York and Virginia, which have state requirements.
The changes by Walmart represent a step away from pandemic-era rules as governments across the U.S. lift mask mandates for indoor spaces. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer is the largest U.S. private-sector employer.
Ontario Court Ruling Aims at Ending Blockade (6:20 a.m. HK)
Ontario’s Superior Court granted an injunction barring protesters from blocking the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit with Windsor, Ontario. The injunction that aims to end the blockade will take effect at 7 p.m. local time, Chief Justice Geoffrey B. Morawetz said in a court proceeding.
The court plans to resume late Friday to work out the details and specific wording of the injunction.
The Ambassador Bridge has been largely closed since Monday night. The conduit carries about one quarter of the commercial trade between the U.S. and Canada.
Canada Bridge Blockade Defies Court Injunction: Protest Update
JPMorgan, Goldman Drop Mask Mandates (5:05 a.m. HK)
JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs dropped mask mandates amid an easing up in Covid-19 cases that’s paved the way for Wall Street staff to return to offices.
JPMorgan said in a memo to employees that masks are now “completely voluntary” for vaccinated staff in its U.S. buildings, unless more stringent local restrictions are in place. Goldman Sachs similarly removed a mandate, a spokeswoman for the bank said.
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