(Bloomberg) — South Africa may limit the use of public amenities to people who have been vaccinated, a path already trodden by countries such as France and Italy.
Europe’s top soccer clubs spent less during the summer transfer window as the pandemic continued to hit their finances. Australia’s Covid-Zero policy is under renewed pressure after a second state indicated it was abandoning attempts to eliminate the delta variant.
Businesses around the world are signaling that innovative new communications tools are making many pre-pandemic-era trips history. A Bloomberg survey of 45 large companies in the U.S., Europe and Asia shows that 84% plan to spend less on travel.
Key Developments:
- Global Tracker: Cases top 217.6 million; deaths pass 4.51 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 5.31 billion doses administered
- Two days in September 1998 wrote the pandemic playbook: Daniel Moss
- CEOs doom business-travel revival with budgets slashed worldwide
- There’s a market for $8K-a-week nurses in U.S. as Delta spreads
- Covid vaccines are lucrative. That’s a problem: David Fickling
- Alpha, delta and more. Why virus variants cause alarm: QuickTake
Most in England Have Covid Antibodies (4:55 p.m. HK)
More than 94% of people in England had coronavirus antibodies in the week of Aug. 9, according to the Office for National Statistics.
South Africa Mulls Limits for the Unvaccinated (4:46 p.m. HK)
South Africa may limit the use of public amenities to the people who have been vaccinated, the country’s health minister said.
“Once there is sufficient coverage we should be able to arrive at the stage where we can actually make demands even at public amenities,” Joe Phaahla, the minister, said in the National Council of Provinces. “You can’t have your cake and eat it. You have the right to not have a vaccination, but you have no right to endanger the lives of other people.”
Covid Hits European Soccer Player Trading (4:31 p.m. HK)
Europe’s top soccer clubs spent less during the summer transfer window as the pandemic continued to hit their finances, even as the sport’s two most prominent players switched team.
The English Premier League, the continent’s richest competition, paid out a gross 1.1 billion pounds ($1.5 billion) in the trading period that closed on Aug. 31, according to Deloitte’s Sports Business Group. That was the lowest since 2015. The German Bundesliga was the only league among the top five to increase spending.
Nigeria Considers Mandatory Vaccinations (3:41 p.m. HK)
Nigeria’s government is considering imposing sanctions on individuals who refuse vaccines, the Punch newspaper reported, citing the executive director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
“If some individuals refuse to take the vaccine, hence endangering those who have or those who could not due to medical exemptions, then we have to apply the basic rule of law, which stipulates that your human right stops where mine begins,” the paper quoted the director, Faisal Shuaib, as saying.
Italy Considers Changes to Vaccine Policies (2:46 p.m. HK)
Italy’s introduction of a third vaccine dose is “very likely,” Health Minister Roberto Speranza said.
The government is also evaluating making use of the so-called “green pass” compulsory among workers in the public sector, according to Sole24Ore daily.
As of Sept. 1, Italy requires travelers on planes, ferries, and long-distance trains and coaches to show proof of vaccination or of a recent negative Covid test. Anti-vaccine activists are organizing protests to block the country’s main railway stations.
Taiwan to Tighten Air-Crew Rules (2:20 p.m. HK)
The Taiwanese government plans to tighten quarantine and testing rules for air crew from Sept. 15 in an effort to prevent spread of delta variant, according to a statement from the country’s Centers for Disease Control.
Covid-Zero Policy Wavers in Australia (1:53 p.m. HK)
Australia’s Covid-Zero policy is under renewed pressure after a second state indicated it was abandoning attempts to eliminate the highly-contagious delta variant.
Melbourne set a 70% first-dose vaccination rate target to begin easing its restrictions — some of the toughest in the world — as Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews laid out a roadmap to reopening the state. Regional areas of Victoria could exit lockdown as early as next week, he added.
Indonesia Reaches Milestone on Shots (1:30 p.m. HK)
Indonesia has administered 100 million vaccine doses, setting a milestone that would help it ease restrictions further to revive the economy.
More than 23% of the country’s 270 million population, the fourth-biggest in the world, have received at least their first dose, while about 13% are fully protected, health ministry data showed. Indonesia ranks seventh in the world in terms of doses administered, just behind Germany and ahead of Turkey, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker.
Young Are Suffering in Japan’s Latest Wave (12:25 p.m. HK)
Japan’s current wave of infections has mostly affected younger generations, reflecting both the efficacy of its vaccination program among the elderly and the pitfalls of a slow rollout that still hasn’t reached most of the ccountry’s youth.
Philippines to Open Jab to All in October (12:12 p.m. HK)
The Philippines will have enough shots by October to open inoculations for general population, including vulnerable children, said vaccine czar Carlito Galvez. About 25 million doses are expected this month, while 29.5 million are expected to arrive in October, Galvez said at a virtual forum.
Delta’s Spread Hit Factories in Southeast Asia (10:02 a.m. HK)
Manufacturing managers across Southeast Asia reported a heavy blow in August from one of the world’s worst outbreaks.
Manufacturing purchasing managers’ indexes for Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia all remained deep in negative territory in August, reflecting the disruption from lockdowns that forced factories to halt or slow production.
Sinovac Investor Reports Vaccine Windfall (10:00 a.m. HK)
An investor in Sinovac Biotech Ltd. reported a nearly six-fold increase in first-half profit, giving a glimpse into the windfall made by the Chinese vaccine developer.
Sales of more than one billion doses of the shot known as CoronaVac helped Sino Biopharmaceutical Ltd., which holds a 15% stake in a subsidiary of Beijing-based Sinovac, record profit of 8.48 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) in the first six months of 2021, the Hong Kong-listed company said.
N.Y. to Hold Special Session on Eviction Freeze (7:15 a.m. HK)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the state Legislature back to Albany for a rare special session to extend the state’s freeze on evictions.
The state Senate and Assembly are slated to vote on Wednesday on a measure to extend the state eviction moratorium as far as January 15. The freeze was initially put in place to help tenants during the Covid-19 pandemic and was set to expire on Aug. 31.
Business Travel Won’t Return to Old Ways (6:00 a.m. HK)
Business travel as we’ve known it is a thing of the past. A Bloomberg survey of 45 large firms shows that 84% plan to spend less on travel after the pandemic.
Having saved billions from slashed travel budgets with only a marginal impact on operations, companies, banks, consulting firms and government offices will be hard pressed to explain why they’d return to their old ways.
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