Covid-19 Restrictions updates - World-wide

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Hong Kong unveils further steps to curb COVID-19 spread

Hong Kong will shut kindergartens and primary schools and start offering COVID-19 vaccines for children from the age of five, the city's leader said, as the financial hub grapples with an increase in coronavirus infections.

Certain passengers meanwhile will be banned from transiting through Hong Kong for a month, Bloomberg News reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

It comes as the Chinese-ruled city has seen some local transmissions of the Omicron coronavirus variant after three months of no local coronavirus cases at the end of last year.

 

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Israel won't go under lockdown despite Omicron "tsunami," prime minister says

From Hadas Gold and Amir Tal


Despite a "tsunami" of Covid-19 cases per day, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed on Tuesday not to send the country into another lockdown because "it doesn't work in the face of Omicron."

On Monday, Israel recorded more than 38,500 positive cases, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.

Experts like professor Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute estimate that the real number may be as high as 100,000 because of home tests and accuracy issues, and that soon, up to 30% of the workforce will be in quarantine.

Across the country, there have been long lines for rapid antigen tests as the government tightened the eligibility for PCR tests.

At a press conference, Bennett said that the government is trying to keep the economy open while protecting the vulnerable and safeguarding children.

People in quarantine will receive compensation for days missed from work, Bennett announced, adding that the government is working to "hermetically seal" nursing homes while administrating fourth doses of the vaccine.

All school children will receive three free antigen tests for their families to use, he added.

"We are facing a wave that is hitting the whole world," Bennett said. "These will be tough weeks. We'll get through it."
Additionally, the Israeli Ministry of Health has decided to shorten the isolation days for positive cases from 10 to seven days if three days are without symptoms.

The decision comes after the ministry conducted a test that showed the chance of infection after seven days is low.

 

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England cuts minimum Covid-19 isolation period to 5 days, UK health secretary announces

From CNN’s Allegra Goodwin in London

The minimum self-isolation period for people who test positive for Covid-19 in England will be reduced from seven to five days on Monday, UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced Thursday.

“Around two thirds of positive cases are no longer infectious by the end of day five,” Javid told the House of Commons, citing data from the UK Health Security Agency.

“After reviewing all of the evidence, we've made the decision to reduce the minimum self-isolation period to five full days in England. From Monday, people can test [negative] twice before they go, leaving isolation at the start of day six,” he continued.

Currently, anyone who tested positive in England could leave self–isolation seven days after the date of their initial positive test if they received two negative LFD results, 24 hours apart, on days six and seven of their isolation period.

Javid told the Commons that “any curbs on our freedoms must be an absolute last resort, and that we shouldn't keep them in place for a day longer than absolutely necessary.”

Despite “encouraging signs that infections are falling in London and the East of England,” he warned of the need to “proceed with caution,” adding the Omicron variant “still has the potential to lead to significant numbers of people in hospital,” due to its greater transmissibility.

“There's already almost 17,000 Covid-19 patients in hospital in England, and due to the lag between infections and hospitalizations, the NHS will remain under significant pressure over the next few weeks,” Javid said.

Javid added it was encouraging that England had not seen an increase in Covid-19 intensive care patients during the Omicron wave, but highlighted the importance of vaccines.

“We know that Omicron is less severe, but no one should be under any illusions - it is severe for anyone that ends up in hospital and that's far more likely if you have not had the jab,” he continued.

 

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Schools in Philippines capital stop classes as Omicron cases surge

Schools in the Philippine capital Manila were ordered Friday to suspend online classes for a week, as an Omicron-driven record surge in infections ravages the metropolis of 13 million, according to AFP.

The order for schools in the capital to suspend online lessons until January 22 was to “ease the health burden” for teachers and students, the regional Department of Education said in a memorandum.

Thousands of teachers and students have been infected with Covid-19, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, which has welcomed the “health break”.

 

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Britain will no longer require Covid-19 tests for fully vaccinated travellers:

Britain's vaccinated travellers will be able to go on half-term holidays next month without taking Covid-19 tests on their return, The Times reported.

Transport minister Grant Shapps is in favour of ending the testing system for the double-jabbed in time for the February break, the report said.

An announcement on the change in guidance would be made on Jan 26, the report said.

A face mask lies on the ground, next to the Covid Memorial Wall, in London, on January 15. — AP

 

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India extends ban on public events as Covid cases rise

India's election commission extended its ban on political rallies and roadshows in five states on Saturday due to rising Covid-19 cases in the country.

The ban, which runs to Jan. 22, excludes indoor political party events of less than 300 people, or at 50% of a venue's capacity, the watchdog said in a statement.

India reported 268,833 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking its total tally to 36.84 million, according to data from the federal health ministry. Deaths from Covid-19 rose by 402 to 485,752.

 

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EU eyes shift in Covid travel rules to individuals​

EU member states have recommended changing the way Covid-19 travel rules are applied in the bloc, shifting away from the risk profile of countries to that of individuals.

“Under the new recommendation, Covid-19 measures should be applied taking into account the status of the person instead of the situation at regional level, with the exception of areas where the virus is circulating at very high levels,” the European Council — representing the member states — said in a statement.

It suggests that travellers going from one EU country to another should not face any additional restrictions if they can show an EU Covid certificate proving they are fully vaccinated, have a recent negative test, or a certificate that they have recovered from Covid in the preceding six months, AFP reports.

 

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Germany extends Covid curbs as infections threaten infrastructure​

Germany on Monday extended its current pandemic measures as the experts panel appointed by the government has warned the fast spreading Omicron coronavirus variant could bring critical infrastructure in Europe's biggest economy to a breaking point.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he had agreed with the heads of the federal states to extend restrictions such as limiting private gatherings to 10 ten people and requiring proof of booster vaccination or a negative test at restaurants.

"Now it's time to stay on course," said Scholz after a meeting on Monday.

 

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COPENHAGEN: The Danish government plans to lift its Covid restrictions on February 1, despite registering a record number of infections but with vaccine rates high, the health ministry said Wednesday.

"I would like... Covid-19 to no longer be categorised as a disease dangerous to society as of February 1", Health Minister Magnus Heunicke wrote in a letter to lawmakers, proposing the de facto lifting of all domestic restrictions, such as mask-wearing and early closings for bars and restaurants.

The country of 5.8 million people registered 46,000 new cases on Tuesday, "but our current assessment is that the epidemic will soon peak", Heunicke wrote on Twitter.

"We have good control over hospitalisation rates, thanks to a combination of 3.5 million Danes revaccinated and the less severe nature of Omicron."

More than 60 percent of Danes have received a third dose, one month ahead of the health authorities' schedule.

In addition, while the number of people hospitalised with a Covid infection continues to rise and has now exceeded 900, the Danish Health Authority said that 35 percent of those were actually in hospital for another diagnosis.

 

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments around the world to employ their two years of Covid-handling experience to do away with travel restrictions, which it said were "a mess".

Calling for the adoption of "unique solutions" to manage global travel, IATA Director General Willie Walsh, in a statement on Tuesday, urged governments to accelerate the relaxation of travel restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers with a WHO-approved vaccine as Covid-19 continued to evolve from the "pandemic to endemic stage".

Walsh said it was the need of the hour to remove all travel barriers, including quarantine and testing, for fully vaccinated individuals as "with the experience of the Omicron variant, there is no mounting scientific evidence and opinion opposing the targeting of travellers with restrictions and country bans to control the spread of Covid-19."

"These measures have not worked. Today Omicron is present in all parts of the world. That’s why travel, with very few exceptions, does not increase the risk to general populations," he said.

'Focus more on vaccine distribution and improving healthcare systems'​

The IATA chief said an amount running into billions spent on testing travellers would be far more effective if it was allocated to vaccine distribution or strengthening health care systems.

"All indications point to Covid-19 becoming an endemic condition — one that humankind now has the tools (including vaccination and therapeutics) to live and travel with, bolstered by growing population immunity," the statement said.




Walsh said it was important that governments and the travel industry were well prepared for the transition and ready to remove the burden of measures that disrupted travel.

He said there seemed to be more unique solutions to managing travel and Covid-19 than there were countries to travel to.

"Indeed research from the Migration Policy Institute has counted more than 100,000 travel measures around the world that create complexity for passengers, airlines and governments to manage," he pointed out.

He said all countries now had at least two years of experience to be guided on a simplified and coordinated path to normalise travel "when Covid-19 is endemic".

"That normality must recognise that travellers, with very few exceptions, will present no greater risk than exists in the general population. And that’s why travellers should not be subject to any greater restrictions than are applied to the general community,” said Walsh.

The IATA emphasised that mutually recognised policies on vaccination would be critical as the world approached the "endemic phase".

"Barrier-free travel is a potent incentive for vaccination. The sustainability of this incentive must not be compromised by vaccine policies that complicate travel or divert vaccine resources from where they can do the most good."

 

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Greece allows music in bars and restaurants again as Covid cases ease​

Greece will allow music in restaurants and bars again and extend their operating hours as it lifts some of the restrictions imposed last month now that coronavirus infections and the pressure on hospitals are easing, authorities said.

The country last month forced bars, nightclubs and restaurants to close at midnight, with no standing customers and no music, following a surge of cases over the Christmas holidays due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

“We have decided to scale back the restrictions, taking into consideration the course of the pandemic in terms of cases which have been declining in recent weeks,” Health Minister Thanos Plevris said in a televised statement.

 

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Austria to further ease Covid restrictions​

Austria will begin easing Covid-19 related restrictions next week, Chancellor Karl Nehammer told a news conference, allowing shops and restaurants to remain open longer and easing restriction on the unvaccinated.

From February 5, Austria will extend the maximum permitted opening hours of restaurants and shops until midnight and will increase the number of people able to participate in events to 50 from 25, Nehammer said, according to Reuters.

 

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Denmark Covid restrictions lifted despite increase in cases​

BBC

Denmark has lifted all of its domestic Covid-19 restrictions, including the wearing of face masks, making it the first European Union country to do so.

Nightclubs have reopened, late-night alcohol sales have resumed, and the contact-tracing app is no longer needed to enter venues.

While cases are still relatively high, the authorities say the virus no longer qualifies as a "critical threat".
That is due to the country's high vaccination rate, experts say.

"We have an extremely high coverage of adults vaccinated with three doses," epidemiologist Lone Simonsen of the University of Roskilde told the AFP news agency.

"With Omicron not being a severe disease for the vaccinated, we believe it is reasonable to lift restrictions," she said.

From Tuesday, masks are no longer required in shops, restaurants, and on public transport. Limits on the number of people allowed at indoor gatherings and social distancing measures also come to an end.

The national contact-tracing app is no longer required - although individual event organisers can still choose to make it a condition of entry.

Some rare restrictions will remain in place - for example, for unvaccinated travellers attempting to cross the border from outside Denmark's free travel zone, or the use of face masks in hospitals and care homes.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomed the move, writing "good morning to a completely open Denmark" on Facebook and thanking the population for getting vaccinated.

"I'm so happy that this is all going to be over tomorrow," 17-year-old student Thea Skovgaard told AFP on Monday. "It's good for life in the city, for nightlife, just to be able to be out longer."

The easing of restrictions in Denmark follows similar decisions in England and other UK nations in January. Other EU member countries - such as Ireland, France, and the Netherlands - have also begun to remove their restrictions.

 

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US Army begins discharging soldiers who refuse Covid-19 vaccine​

US soldiers who refuse to get a Covid-19 vaccine will be immediately discharged, the US Army said, reports Reuters.
The Army said the move was critical to maintain combat readiness..

The Army's order applies to regular Army soldiers, active-duty Army reservists and cadets unless they have approved or pending exemptions, it said in a statement.

 

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France lifts Covid restrictions as case numbers ease​

France has loosened several of the restrictions imposed to curb the latest Covid-19 surge, with authorities hoping a recent decline in daily cases will soon ease pressure on overburdened hospitals, reports AFP.

Wearing face masks outdoors is no longer mandatory, and audience capacity limits have been lifted for theatres, concerts, sporting matches and other events.

The move has divided experts after authorities reported record coronavirus infections just last month, with critics accusing the government of making a hasty bet on a return to normality..

But President Emmanuel Macron is betting that widespread vaccinations will curb the pandemic, with proof of inoculation now required for the health pass used to access everything from bars and restaurants to cinemas and long-distance public transport.

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