(Bloomberg) — Booster shots are in the spotlight, as a highly anticipated study in Israel showed a third Pfizer Inc. dose can dramatically reduce rates of virus-related illness in people 60 and older. The analysis comes as Pfizer and Moderna Inc. said the immunity offered by their vaccines may wane over time.
Singapore began a booster program for vulnerable groups, as the island nation faces a surge of infections. Hong Kong sees no urgent need for a third shot because the city hasn’t recorded a local infection in three months.
Malaysia is set to further ease its containment measures Friday, allowing workers to return to offices based on vaccine status. Indonesia is allowing foreigners holding more types of visas to enter the country as long as they are fully vaccinated.
Key Developments:
- Global Virus Tracker: Cases pass 226.3 million; deaths exceed 4.6 million
- Vaccine Tracker: More than 5.81 billion doses administered
- ECB’s Lagarde sees part-time home office outlasting pandemic
- World’s worst HIV epidemic stymies South Africa’s Covid fight
- Why the Delta variant is giving more children Covid: QuickTake
Health Minister Calls Nicki Minaj Claim Waste of Time (1:44 p.m. HK)
Trinidad and Tobago’s health minister said there has been no evidence of testicular-swelling due to Covid vaccines, disputing a claim by rapper Nicki Minaj that drew international attention.
Minaj, who has about 23 million Twitter followers, tweeted earlier this week that her friend’s cousin in Trinidad became impotent and his testicles became swollen after taking the vaccine.
“Unfortunately, we wasted so much time yesterday running down this false claim,” Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Minaj, who skipped the prestigious Met Gala because she did not meet the vaccination requirement, said she was still researching vaccines. The White House said Wednesday it had offered her a call with a doctor to answer questions about the shot.
Singapore Begins Vaccine Boosters (1:07 p.m. HK)
Singapore this week began its program to give booster shots for those above 60 years and people who are immuno-compromised. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post that 3,200 seniors stepped forward to receive boosters on Wednesday, and more than 12,000 have made appointments for shots.
Singapore is launching the program as cases surge in the island nation, with daily infections topping 800, though critical cases remain under control. The government has said it’ll seek to stick to the course of living with Covid-19 for now, though officials warned daily cases may rise to 2,000 in a few weeks.
Philippines Runs Low on Drug for Covid Patients (11:34 a.m. HK)
The Philippines is running low on tocilizumab, an arthritis drug by Swiss company Roche that’s been approved for some Covid patients. The Southeast Asian’s supply of the drug, also known as Actemra, is already at “critical” level after record-high infections, said vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, as he asked President Rodrigo Duterte to personally appeal for help from the Swiss government.
Melbourne Lockdown to Ease Slightly (11:24 a.m. HK)
Lockdown restrictions in Australia’s second most populous city Melbourne will be slightly eased this weekend after more than 70% of Victoria state’s adult population had their first vaccination, Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters. Among the changes, residents will be allowed to travel up to 10 kilometers from their home for up to four hours of exercise a day and be allowed to meet a friend in a park for a picnic, he said.
Health authorities in Victoria continue to struggle to bring the delta varient under control. The state recorded 514 more daily infections, and its outbreak has doubled in seven days, according to Bloomberg calculations of Victorian health department data.
Meanwhile, the delta surge in Australia’s most populous state is steadying after New South Wales found 1,351 new infections overnight. The state’s seven-day moving average has fallen to its lowest level in more than a week, according to Bloomberg calculations on New South Wales health department data.
Ho Chi Minh City Says 15,000 Businesses Close (11:22 a.m. HK)
Vietnam’s economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City may record negative economic growth this year as about 15,000 businesses closed amid the coronavirus outbreak, state television reported on its website, citing a forecast from the planning and investment ministry. About 3,000 businesses have closed permanently and 12,000 have shut temporarily.
Indonesia Eases Visa Rules for Vaccinated (11:19 a.m. HK)
Indonesia is allowing foreigners holding more types of visas to enter the country as long as they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Those holding the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation business travel cards, visitors with permits to stay for diplomatic and work purposes, as well as people having limited or permanent rights to stay can enter the country, according to a statement on the immigration office’s website. Offshore visa applications have also been reopened as of Thursday.
Southeast Asia’s largest economy has been shut to most foreign travelers since April last year amid the pandemic, only allowing certain visitors to enter for business essential purposes. The country had considered reopening its borders multiple times as the travel ban battered its tourism industry, while the threat of new coronavirus variants kept its borders closed.
Outbreak in China’s Fujian Province Grows (9:45 a.m. HK)
An outbreak in the eastern Chinese province of Fujian continued to grow, with 48 new cases. A prefecture bordering Myanmar also reported one local infection, though it’s unknown whether that case bears any link to those in Fujian.
At Putian, where the Fujian outbreak was detected about a week ago, 49 kids under 12 at kindergartens and primary schools have been infected, though none of them have developed severe disease, state news agency Xinhua reported. Covid vaccines have yet to be rolled out to children under the age of 12 in China.
As many as four rounds of Covid testing have been done in some of the jurisdictions that have detected clusters and officials have warned of more cases in the coming days.
Overnight in Beijing, a positive result from a Covid test sample prompted local health officials to seal off some residential compounds for a few hours, only to find it was false after another test was ran. Beijing has been on high alert for any potential spread of the virus ahead of major holidays, and have taken preemptive measures such as cutting transport from regions with cases in an previous outbeak spreading widely across China in August.
Alberta Imposes New Curbs (9:01 a.m. HK)
Alberta imposes new restrictions to control a surge in cases that is overwhelming hospital intensive care units, public officials including Premier Jason Kenney said in a press conference. The Canadian province may run out of ICU beds in the next 10 days.
The restrictions require people to work from home and forbid indoor dining at restaurants. Limits are imposed on indoor social gatherings for people who are vaccinated and forbids gatherings for those who aren’t vaccinated.
Raytheon, Walgreens Add Mandates for U.S. Workers (5:50 a.m. HK)
Raytheon and Walgreens will require all U.S. workers to be vaccinated, while Southwest Airlines Co. is rolling out a new carrot-and-stick approach, as pressure grows across corporate America to ensure employees are protected.
The steps by several of the largest companies in the U.S. come as the fast-spreading delta variant has fueled a surge in cases, prompting other big corporations to require shots or impose penalties.
CDC Meeting Next Week on Boosters (5:25 a.m. HK)
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a two-day meeting next week to discuss booster shots.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices posted notice of the meeting, which will be held Sept. 22-23, on its website on Wednesday. The panel of outside experts advises the CDC on how best to administer new vaccines.
Booster Dose Slashes Infections (5:00 a.m. HK)
A third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech SE vaccine can dramatically reduce rates of Covid-related illness in people 60 and older, according to data from a short-term study in Israel.
Starting 12 days after the extra dose, confirmed infection rates were 11 times lower in the booster group compared with a group that got the standard two doses, the analysis released Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine found. Rates of severe illness were almost 20 times lower in the booster group.
Early versions of the highly anticipated analysis have been cited by Biden administration officials, including the president’s Covid medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, as they push for a booster program scheduled to start Monday. The Israeli analysis is expected to be highlighted at a meeting of Food and Drug Administration advisers reviewing Pfizer’s application for clearance of the booster shots.
Fed to Require Shots for All Staff (4:40 p.m. NY)
All 12 regional branches of the Federal Reserve and the Board in Washington will require staff to be vaccinated. Staff were informed in recent weeks of the decision, apart from those at the Minneapolis Fed, which led the way when Neel Kashkari, its president, announced on July 7 that it would require vaccinations. About 23,000 people work at the Fed.
Moderna Says Vaccine Immunity May Wane (4:05 p.m. NY)
Moderna said that a new analysis of the late-stage clinical trial of its vaccine found a higher rate of breakthrough cases in people who got shots early in the study.
The analysis examined instances where immunized people in the company’s trial still contracted Covid-19 this summer, when the delta variant was surging.
Los Angeles to Require Vaccine Proof at Bars (3:15 p.m. NY)
Proof of vaccination will be required at indoor bars, wineries, breweries, nightclubs and lounges in Los Angeles County under a forthcoming health order, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The mandate will also apply to employees of those establishments and require that both they and patrons have at least one vaccine dose by Oct. 7 and are fully vaccinated by Nov. 4, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said at a Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday, according to the newspaper.
Pfizer Says Vaccine Efficacy Erodes (8:55 a.m. NY)
Pfizer said that data from the U.S. and Israel suggest that the efficacy of its vaccine wanes over time, and that a booster dose was safe and effective at warding off the virus and new variants.
The company detailed the data in a presentation it will deliver to a meeting of outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday.
Separately, blood plasma taken from people immunized with the vaccine was able to neutralize the lambda and delta-plus variants in a lab study, a sign that the shot continues to be protective. The company-sponsored study was posted on BioRxiv, a pre-print site, and hasn’t been subject to peer review.
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