Kamis, 31 Desember 2020

Times Square barricaded, quiet for New Year's Eve - CNA

NEW YORK: New York City's Times Square was barricaded on Thursday (Dec 31), with only a handful of invited guests, including health care workers and others from the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, allowed in to watch the New Year's Eve ball drop in person.

Everyone else should stay home and watch the pared-down festivities on television, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, with scores of events around the United States similarly curtailed or moved online.

Tens of thousands of people usually fill the blocks around Times Square, standing for hours in the cold at the focal point of US New Year's Eve celebrations, waiting for a crystal ball to slowly descend in the year's final seconds.

Police will allow in only a few dozen this year, with masks and no sign of fever required for entry, among them the Bronx-born singer Jennifer Lopez and Gloria Gaynor, who is due to sing her disco classic I Will Survive for a few dozen front-line workers and their families.

Organisers have invited a grocery store worker, a building doorman, a pizza delivery man and doctors and nurses, including Sandra Lindsay, the New York nurse who became the first recipient of a coronavirus vaccine in the United States outside of a trial earlier this month.

More than 25,000 New Yorkers have been killed by COVID-19 this year as the city at one time grappled with the world's deadliest outbreak back in the spring.

"It's going to be actually, arguably, the most special, the most poignant, the most moving New Year's Eve," de Blasio, who will push the button to start the crystal's ball descent, told reporters. "In 2021, we're going to show people what it looks like to recover, to come back."

As new daily case tallies continue to rise across the United States, bars and restaurants and other gathering places are closed or have sharply limited capacity.

In Las Vegas, Boston and beyond, official fireworks displays have been canceled. Organisers of Boston's annual First Night arts festival on New Year's Eve have arranged for six hours of live performances streamed online by local musicians and artists.

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2020-12-31 18:48:46Z
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askST: What are possible side effects from Covid-19 vaccine? - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Vaccinations against Covid-19 began on Wednesday (Dec 30) with the first Pfizer-BioNTech jabs administered to 40 healthcare workers at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The Straits Times answers some of the questions that have arisen about the vaccine.

Q: Will front-line and essential workers be allowed to stay in their posts if they decline the injection?

A: Although vaccination of healthcare workers is not compulsory, all local residents - healthcare workers and the general public - are urged to take the jab.

There is no plan to alter the duties of healthcare workers who do not get vaccinated, said NCID executive director Leo Yee Sin. Hospitals also continue to comply with preventive measures.

Q: What precautions need to be taken after the injection? Do patients wait to ensure they do not have side effects?

A: The Covid-19 vaccination is no different from other vaccinations, said Prof Leo, adding: "It is recommended by the Health Sciences Authority to observe the vaccinees for 15 to 30 minutes after vaccination."

There are resting spaces in full sight of healthcare workers for patients who have completed their vaccination.

Q: How do we know the vaccination is working? Some people have no observable reactions, while others might have a mild or severe one.

A: There is no evidence to suggest that those with no or mild discomfort are not protected by the vaccine.

The safety profile of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is generally consistent with other vaccines used against other diseases, said Prof Leo, who was vaccinated on Wednesday.

Some people may have side effects like pain, redness, swelling at the injection site. Other side effects include fatigue, fever, headaches, muscle aches, chills, vomiting, diarrhoea and joint pain.

While not everyone will experience these, they are common and expected as part of the body's natural response, so as to build immunity against Covid-19. These side effects are also usually resolved within a few days.

As with other vaccines, in rare cases, a person may experience severe allergic reactions, such as difficulty in breathing, wheezing and swelling around the eyes and lips. Immediate medical attention must be sought. Anyone with a history of anaphylaxis should also not receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Q: Will the vaccination leave a keloid scar like the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine?

A: It is unlikely as this is intra-muscular injection (like the influenza vaccine). There have been no reports of scarring. The BCG is a live attenuated vaccine - a vaccine created by reducing the virulence of a pathogen.

Q: How is the vaccine kept viable?

A: The NCID works closely with the Health Ministry to hold just enough doses before they are to go to vaccination providers. Vaccines can be stored at a temperature of 2-8 deg C for up to five days.

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2020-12-31 09:29:12Z
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Tokyo tops 1000 daily COVID-19 cases with new emergency warning - CNA

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  1. Tokyo tops 1000 daily COVID-19 cases with new emergency warning  CNA
  2. Tokyo's virus outbreak could 'explode' at any time: Governor  The New Paper
  3. Tokyo outbreak at critical juncture, warns governor, World News & Top Stories  The Straits Times
  4. Heavy snow and COVID-19 crimp New Year celebrations in Japan  CNA
  5. Tokyo tops 1,000 daily virus cases with new emergency warning  Rappler
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2020-12-31 07:53:46Z
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Rabu, 30 Desember 2020

China gives its first COVID-19 vaccine approval to Sinopharm - CNA

BEIJING: China approved on Thursday (Dec 31) its first COVID-19 vaccine for general public use, a shot developed by an affiliate of state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, as it braces for greater transmission risks over the winter.

No detailed efficacy data of the vaccine has been publicly released but its developer, Beijing Biological Products Institute, a unit of Sinopharm subsidiary China National Biotec Group (CNBG), said on Wednesday its vaccine was 79.34 per cent effective in preventing people from developing the disease based on interim data.

The approval, announced by the National Medical Products Administration, comes after the United Arab Emirates this month became the first country to roll out the vaccine to the public, and as Pakistan announced a 1.2 million dose purchase deal with Sinopharm.

READ: China Sinopharm’s vaccine has 79% protection rate against COVID-19

While China has been slower than several other countries in approving COVID-19 vaccines, it has been inoculating some citizens for months with three different shots still undergoing late-stage trials.

China launched an emergency use programme in July aimed at essential workers and others at high risk of infection, and has administered more than 4.5 million doses as of Dec 15 using at least three different products - two developed by CNBG and one by Sinovac Biotech.

While the efficacy of the Sinopharm shot trails the more than 90 per cent success rate of rival vaccines from Pfizer and its partner BioNTech and Moderna, it points to progress China has made in the global race to develop successful COVID-19 vaccines.

China has at least five vaccines, developed by Sinovac, CNBG units, CanSino Biologics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in late-stage trials, underscoring its efforts to develop a homegrown vaccine to challenge Western rivals.

President Xi Jinping has pledged to make China's vaccines a global public good and it has won several large supply deals with countries including Indonesia and Brazil - the most populous countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America respectively.

READ: Chinese COVID-19 vaccines are poised to fill gap, but will they work?

WATCHING THE DATA

The efficacy and safety data of China-made vaccines is being closely watched by many developing countries as they have limited early access to shots developed by Western drugmakers and are looking for alternatives from China and Russia.

"China's approval could boost the credibility of the vaccine," said Dong-yan Jin, a professor at the University of Hong Kong.

"But if the vaccine wants to take a share in the global market, especially in developed countries, more data is necessary."

A Sinopharm executive told a briefing detailed data would be released later and published in scientific journals at home and abroad.

While China has kept new outbreaks of the coronavirus under control, it is ramping up the emergency programme to contain the risks over the winter. The virus emerged a year ago in a market in the central city of Wuhan.

The South China Morning Post newspaper reported that China would vaccinate as many as 50 million people from high-priority groups before the Lunar New Year holiday in February.

"We call on people ... to take an active part in vaccination to protect themselves, family members and others, which is also contributing to global epidemic control," Zeng Yixin, an official with National Health Commission, told a briefing on Thursday.

The price of the vaccine would depend on the scale of use, but the "premise" was that it would be free for the public in China, he said.

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2020-12-31 05:26:15Z
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2 more COVID-19 cases 'preliminarily positive' for new UK strain, including SIA pilot - CNA

SINGAPORE: Two more COVID-19 cases have tested "preliminarily positive" for the new coronavirus strain circulating in the UK, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Dec 30).

"Further tests will be conducted to confirm the strain," added MOH.

The two cases, reported by the ministry on Wednesday, are both imported. They are a Singapore Airlines pilot who recently travelled to the UK for work and a work pass holder who arrived from the UK.

The pilot travelled to the UK from Dec 19 to Dec 22.

He was tested on Dec 23 as part of rostered regular testing for air crew members who travel frequently. The test came back negative.

After developing a fever on Dec 26, he sought medical treatment the following day at a general practitioner clinic, where he was swabbed for COVID-19.

His test came back positive for COVID-19 on Dec 29 and he was taken by ambulance to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

The 40-year-old man's serological test came back negative, indicating a likely current infection, said MOH.

READ: Singapore tightens COVID-19 measures for air crew, including more frequent PCR tests

SYMPTOMS DEVELOPED AFTER STAY-HOME NOTICE ENDED

The work pass holder arrived from the UK on Dec 7 and was placed on stay-home notice at a dedicated facility upon arrival.

He was tested on Dec 17 and the result came back negative.

After his stay-home notice ended on Dec 21, he started to develop body ache on Dec 22 and symptoms of acute respiratory infection on Dec 25.

He sought medical treatment on Dec 28 and was swabbed for COVID-19.

His test result came back positive on Dec 29 and he was brought to NCID in an ambulance.

The 53-year-old British man's serological test result has come back positive.

READ: Singapore reports 27 new COVID-19 cases, including SIA pilot who initially tested negative

A total of 26 imported cases were reported by MOH on Wednesday.

There was also a community case, a marine surveyor at Lloyd’s Register Singapore who works on board vessels docked at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard.

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2020-12-30 14:58:43Z
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Link between COVID-19 shot, Swiss death 'highly unlikely', says drugs regulator - CNA

ZURICH: Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic on Wednesday (Dec 30) said it saw no link between the death of a 91-year old person in the canton of Lucerne and the COVID-19 vaccine, adding the deceased suffered from multiple illnesses before getting the shot.

"Clarifications by cantonal health authorities and Swissmedic determined that, as a result of the illness history and disease course, a link between the death and the COVID-19 vaccine was highly unlikely," the regulator said in a statement.

Swissmedic said previous illnesses would be listed on the death certificate as the person's "natural cause of death".

READ: Vaccinated US nurse contracts COVID-19, expert says Pfizer shot needed more time to work - report

Lucerne was the site of the first vaccinations in Switzerland last week, with a shot from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech given primarily to elderly people.

Switzerland has received 107,000 Pfizer/BioNTech doses so far, and expects to get 250,000 per month starting next year.

Neither Lucerne nor Swissmedic released the time that elapsed between the person receiving the shot and when the death occurred. The person's gender was not given.

Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine is the only inoculation approved so far in Switzerland. It was approved on an emergency basis in the United States and Britain, and has conditional marketing approval in the European Union after trials in tens of thousands of people.

Pfizer said its thoughts were with the deceased's family.

"It is important to note that serious adverse events, including deaths that are unrelated to the vaccine, are unfortunately likely to occur at a similar rate as they would in the general population of elderly and at-risk individuals who are currently being prioritized for vaccination," the US-based company said.

Millions of doses of the vaccine have been administered. Several people have suffered allergic reactions following shots, though those incidents were resolved quickly.

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2020-12-30 16:18:45Z
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Preliminary tests show two more in Singapore have UK Covid-19 strain - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - A Singapore Airlines pilot and a work pass holder have tested preliminarily positive for the new B117 strain of the coronavirus that is circulating in the United Kingdom.

They were among 27 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Wednesday (Dec 30), taking Singapore's total to 58,569.

The pilot, a 40-year-old Singaporean man, had travelled to the United Kingdom for work between Dec 19 and 22, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Dec 30).

He was tested on Dec 23 as part of rostered routine testing conducted for air crew who travel frequently.

Although he tested negative for Covid-19 upon returning to Singapore, he developed a fever on Dec 26 and sought medical treatment at a general practitioner clinic the next day, where he was swabbed and confirmed positive on Dec 29.

He was then taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases by ambulance.

Serological tests indicate that he is likely to have a current infection, said the Health Ministry.

Further tests will be conducted to confirm the Covid-19 strain the man has.

The work pass holder who also tested preliminarily positive for the B117 strain is a 53-year-old man who returned from the United Kingdom.

Although he ended his stay-home notice on Dec 21, he developed body aches the next day and acute respiratory symptoms on Dec 25.

He was then confirmed positive for Covid-19 on Dec 29.

Meanwhile, there were 24 other imported cases, all of whom had been placed on stay-home notice or isolated on arrival in Singapore, said MOH.

Among the imported cases, three are Singaporean, four are permanent residents, five are work pass holders and seven are work permit holders.

Of the seven work permit holders, six are foreign domestic workers.

The imported cases also include three dependant's pass holders, one long-term visit pass holder, one short-term visit pass holder and one special pass holder.

The sole community case announced on Wednesday (Dec 30) is a permanent resident who works as a marine surveyor at Lloyd's Register Singapore.

As part of his job, the 46-year-old man works on board vessels docked at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard.

He had not gone to work since the onset of symptoms on Dec 27.

His case is currently unlinked and epidemiological investigations are ongoing, said MOH.

MOH added that all the identified close contacts of the cases have been isolated and placed on quarantine.

They will be tested at the start and end of their quarantine period so the ministry can detect asymptomatic cases.

Marina Bay Sands, IMM, Takashimaya and Orchard Gateway were among places visited by Covid-19 patients while they were still infectious, said MOH.

MOH provides the list of locations that infectious Covid-19 patients visited for at least 30 minutes and the times they visited them to get people who were at those places at the same time to monitor their health closely for two weeks from the date of their visit.

The full list of locations and times can be found on the gov.sg website.

MOH has said close contacts would already have been notified and that there is no need to avoid those places as they would have been cleaned if necessary.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has remained low,with a total of two cases in the past week who are currently unlinked.

With 11 cases discharged on Wednesday, 58,396 patients have fully recovered from the disease.

A total of 52 patients remain in hospital, while 77 are recuperating in community facilities. None is in intensive care.

Singapore has had 29 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 15 who tested positive have died of other causes.

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2020-12-30 14:49:51Z
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