All US Olympians Are Fully Vaccinated; No One Requested Exemptions
Every one of the 200-plus athletes going to the Beijing Winter Olympics is reported to be fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the Chinese authorities are limiting the traditional torch relay to just three days. In France, covid restrictions are due to be lifted soon, and Austria mandated shots for adults.
AP:
100%: Chief Medical Officer Says All US Olympians Vaccinated
The U.S. Olympic team’s top doctor says all of the 200-plus athletes heading to Beijing for the Winter Games next month are fully vaccinated, and not a single one asked for a medical exemption. Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Finnoff told The Associated Press the 21-day quarantine period the IOC is requiring for unvaccinated participants, combined with the education the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee provided, “really resonated with the athletes.” (Pells, 1/21)
AP:
China Mandates 3-Day Olympic Torch Relay Amid Virus Concerns
China is limiting the torch relay for the Winter Olympic Games to just three days amid coronavirus worries, organizers said Friday. The flame will be displayed only in enclosed venues that are deemed “safe and controllable,” according to officials speaking at a news conference. (1/21)
In other covid news from around the world —
Politico:
France To Lift COVID-19 Restrictions In February
French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday that the government will lift most of its COVID-19 restrictions in February, although the need for a vaccine pass and indoor mask-wearing will remain. (Bermingham, 1/20)
Fox News:
Austrian Parliament Votes To Make Vaccines Mandatory For All Adults
The lower chamber of the Austrian Parliament approved a measure Thursday to make vaccines mandatory for all adults in the country, enforceable by fines of up to 3,600 euros, or approximately $4,000. The MPs voted 137 to 33 to approve the mandate after seven hours of debate. Austrian residents aged 18 and over are required to be vaccine under the bill, with exceptions carved out for pregnant women, people with medical exemptions, and those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, according to The Associated Press. About 72% of the 8.9 million people in Austria were considered fully vaccinated as of Thursday. (Brown, 1/20)
North Carolina Health News:
What Does Life With An Italian Vaccine Passport Look Like?
As the Omicron variant spreads throughout the country and the world, some governments have doubled down on vaccination as the best way to combat the coronavirus. U.S. cities such as New York and Washington, D.C. now require some sort of proof of vaccination for public indoor activities, but any kind of vaccine passport in North Carolina seems unlikely — for now... I have spent the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina’s Piedmont region, but this winter, I got to see life with a vaccine passport firsthand in the other Piedmont region (or rather, Piemonte) in northern Italy, visiting my boyfriend’s family in Turin. (Thompson, 1/21)
Bloomberg:
Studies Warn New Covid Variant In South Africa After Lions Infected By Staff
Lions and pumas at a private zoo in South Africa got severe Covid-19 from asymptomatic zoo handlers, raising concerns that new variants could emerge from animal reservoirs of the disease, studies carried out by a local university showed. A 2020 study of feces from two pumas that had had diarrhea, nasal discharge and anorexia showed the animals had Covid-19 and made a full recovery after 23 days, the University of Pretoria said in a statement on Tuesday. A year later, in the midst of South Africa’s delta-variant-driven third wave, three lions, one of which had pneumonia, tested positive for the coronavirus. (Sguazzin, 1/18)
Bloomberg:
South Africa Bolsters Genomics Capability To Hunt Deadly Disease
South Africa is enhancing its capacity to identify and respond to emerging pathogens and deadly diseases after leading global efforts to identify new strains of the coronavirus. Having alerted the world to both the beta and omicron Covid-19 variants, the country has garnered international support to help it build new laboratories and capabilities, and hire and train more African scientists to respond to future epidemic threats. Capacity is being added across a network of a dozen institutions, which could employ as many as 1,000 additional personnel. (Kew, 1/21)
CNBC:
Pacific Islands' Zero-Covid Strategies Unsustainable, Professor Says
Countries all over the world have seen Covid-19 cases surge since the emergence of the highly transmissible omicron variant, with new infections soaring by 20% globally over the past week. In the Pacific Islands, however, it’s been a different story. Many of the small island states nestled in the Pacific Ocean have had no new cases of the virus for months — and some of those countries have remained virtually Covid-free throughout the pandemic... Although many of the islands’ borders are still closed, some have tentatively begun to reopen. Those countries that remain isolated now find themselves in a precarious position as they attempt to balance public health with the recovery of their tourism-reliant economies. (Taylor, 1/21)
In other global news —
The Wall Street Journal:
Medical Glassmaker Schott To Increase Spending Amid Boost From Covid-19 Vaccines
Schott AG’s finance chief plans to increase spending this year as the specialty glass and materials manufacturer sees growing demand for its products, including syringes and vials for Covid-19 vaccines. The Mainz, Germany-based company intends to invest €450 million, equivalent to about $510 million, this fiscal year. That is up from the €340 million it spent during the year ended Sept. 30. (Trentmann, 1/20)
Bloomberg:
Indonesia To Propose New Global Health Agency At G20 Summit
Indonesia will propose the creation of a new global health agency when leaders meet at the Group of 20 Summit. The agency would set up standard operating procedures for international travel and health protocols, as well as procure vaccines and ensure access and investment in medical equipment and medicines for developing countries, President Joko Widodo said in a statement at the World Economic Forum event on Thursday. (Aditya, 1/20)