Covid-19 Pandemic: Updates and live news from April 10, 2021

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Growing cases in the Midwest helped increase the number of daily infections in the United States to a maximum in more than two weeks as vaccination in the country picks up pace. A divided U.S. Supreme Court relieved the California sidewalk in home religious services.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition agreed to the proposal national rules of blockade and curfews to try to force compliance by some regional governments. European Union officials said the bloc is overcoming its vaccine supply problem.

Vaccines are less abundant in India as the second most populous country in the world faces a new viral wave.

Main developments:

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US has approximately 54 million doses in stock (4pm NY)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly a quarter of the doses of Covid-19 vaccine distributed by the United States have not been administered.

While CDC data does not specify reasons, health officials have expressed concern about equity in vaccine distribution and hesitation, especially among rural and minority populations. Of some 233 million doses administered nationwide, 179 million, or about 76%, were administered as of Friday.

The CDC says some vaccines will always be kept behind to maintain inventory, including second vaccines. Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi and Wyoming have the lowest first-dose administration rates on hand.

About 68 million people in the U.S., or 20.5% of the population, are completely vaccinated and 34.5% have had at least one dose. Among people aged 65 and over, 59% are fully vaccinated and 77% have had at least one dose.

Colorado provider cuts J&J Shot usage (2:10 pm NY)

A health care provider in Colorado will stop administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at its three mass vaccination sites after adverse reactions.

Peter D. Banko, CEO of Centura Health, said in a statement Friday night that the decision was based on both the reduced shipments of the federal government’s J&J vaccine and 11 reactions reported at a vaccination site. Governor Jared Polis and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said they examined the reactions (which included dizziness and nausea) and determined there was no cause for concern.

Centura Health said the J&J vaccine is “safe and effective” and will continue to be used in outpatient clinics and clinics.

Minneapolis Spike leads US subway areas (13:30 NY)

Weekly cases of Covid-19 in 10 U.S. metropolitan areas increased the fastest in Minneapolis, where companies like 3M Co. live. and Target Corp., according to data collected on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cases rose 27% in the Minneapolis area, followed by rises of more than 20% in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Detroit. Adjusted for population, new cases over the seven-day period increased further in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Buffalo, New York. Minneapolis ranked sixth for this measure.

Italy Slow Houses (12:02 pm NY)

Italy reported 17,567 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, 17% less than seven days ago, in another sign that the outbreak is slowing to the original epicenter of the pandemic in Europe.

Pressure on hospitals decreases with the fall in Covid-19 patients for the fourth day in a row.

Italy will ease blockade restrictions in most regions, including the one around Milan, from 12 April. All retail companies will be allowed to open and people will have more freedom to move around their municipalities.
Schools will reopen with some limitations. However, bars and restaurants will continue to operate only for take-away food orders and travel to other regions will continue to be prohibited.

Merkel presents the German blockade plan (10:43 am NY)

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing coalition agreed to the proposal national rules of blockade and curfews to try to force compliance by some regional governments. Hotspot designations would be based on county-wide per capita infections, according to the bill seen by Bloomberg on Saturday.

Merkel’s biggest obstacle is the upper house of parliament, where her ruling parties have no majority. German hospitals have been under pressure after rates of Covid-19 infection began to rise in February, although vaccines have risen and reached daily records this week.

U.S. Supreme Court Facilitates Worship Boundaries (10:24 am NY)

A divided U.S. Supreme Court it eased the limits of religious services in California, which added to a series of orders that have freed the faithful from state and local restrictions designed to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an unsigned 5-4 order issued Friday night, the court authorized two Northern Californians to resume weekly Bible studies and community worship for eight to twelve people.

US cases continue to accelerate (8:00 NY)

The United States added nearly 81,000 new cases on Friday as the virus spreads rapidly to pockets across the country, especially in the Midwest, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. The seven-day average has increased for five consecutive weeks.

According to the data, another 962 deaths were recorded on Friday, down for the second day, amid a general decline in fatalities. The United States recorded 4 million doses of vaccine on Friday as the pace picked up again after the Easter and Easter holidays, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker.

Italian companies reduce growth forecast (7:53 am NY)

Italy’s largest industrial pressure group cut economic growth forecasts after an increase in infections in the country earlier this year.

Confindustria now sees Italy’s economic growth at 4.1% this year, 0.7 percentage points below the October forecast, after the health crisis led to weaker-than-expected performance in the last quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. He said the new forecast depends on progress in vaccinations in Italy and the rest of Europe.

Astral Shot Linked to Clots: Study (6:53 am NY)

A Norwegian study on blood clots and abnormally low platelet levels in five people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid-19 has found that their condition was a vaccine-induced syndrome, according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“By providing a link between thrombosis and the immune system, these results reinforce the view that vaccination may have triggered the syndrome,” the article says the study.

Denmark and Norway are avoiding the use of the Astra vaccine even though it has been approved for use, saying they need more time to review the risks. Sweden and Finland only offer it to people over 65.

EU predicts rapid rate of vaccines (17:32 HK)

Europe could have it fully vaccinated 70% of adults before the UK reaches its own dose target for all over the age of 18 by the end of July, said Thierry Breton, the leading European commissioner of the vaccine working group of Brussels, in an interview with The Guardian.

Europe expected 360 million doses from five manufacturers in the second quarter, and European factories are expected to produce 200 million shots a month in September for a global capacity of 2 to 3 billion by the end of the year. The “extremely rapid” increase in European production capacity should allow the 27 EU nations to offset their deficits in the first quarter and allow for “an almost normal tourist season,” Breton said.

Airlines want UK test price (17:05 HK)

The world airline IATA asked the UK Markets and Competition Authority to launch an investigation into the price of Covid-19 tests for travel, as different investigations showed that travelers they had to pay twice as much for PCR tests in Britain as in much of Europe, The Guardian reported on Sunday.

Although cheaper pre-departure PCR tests are available for £ 60 ($ 82), the subsidized rate for Gatwick Airport passengers, most travelers charge an average of £ 128, more than double of price in much of Europe, according to an investigation by the British Travel Agents Association and the Association of Airport Operators.

Jet2, one of the UK’s largest tour operators, postponed all holidays until June 23 alleging government lack of clarity, The Guardian reported in a separate article. The tour operator said “not knowing when we can start flying and where we can fly” caused the suspension of flights and holidays.

Russia: slow cases and stable deaths (16:09 HK)

Russia reported 8,704 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, compared to 9,150 reported a day earlier, as the case load continues to stabilize. Authorities reported 402 deaths from the virus yesterday, unchanged from the previous day.

New Wave Swamps Hospitals of India (12:34 pm HK)