Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Beijing Tightens Covid Rules; New Zealand, Italy, Greece Relax Them
The New York Times: Beijing Escalates Restrictions After Covid Outbreak, But No Full Lockdown
With new cases of the coronavirus continuing to accumulate in Beijing, officials over the weekend introduced sweeping new restrictions while stopping short of a full lockdown, a sign of the political and economic challenges that controlling an outbreak in China’s capital poses. As the five-day May Day holiday began on Saturday, local officials announced a ban on dining in restaurants until Wednesday. They also said that as of Thursday, proof of a negative test within the last week would be required to enter public spaces, including public transportation. And they ordered the closure of Universal Beijing Resort, one of the city’s major tourist attractions. (Wang, 5/1)
AP: New Zealand Welcomes Back Tourists As Pandemic Rules Eased
New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years Monday after dropping most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. The country has long been renowned for its breathtaking scenery and adventure tourism offerings such as bungy jumping and skiing. Before the spread of COVID-19, more than 3 million tourists visited each year, accounting for 20% of New Zealand’s foreign income and more than 5% of the overall economy. But international tourism stopped altogether in early 2020 after New Zealand imposed some of the world’s toughest border restrictions. (Perry, 5/2)
AP: Tourists, Rejoice! Italy, Greece Relax COVID-19 Restrictions
For travelers heading to Europe, summer vacations just got a whole lot easier. Italy and Greece relaxed some COVID-19 restrictions on Sunday before Europe’s peak summer tourist season, in a sign that life was increasingly returning to normal. Greece’s civil aviation authority announced that it was lifting all COVID-19 rules for international and domestic flights except for the wearing of face masks during flights and at airports. Previously, air travelers were required to show proof of vaccination, a negative test or a recent recovery from the disease. (Winfield and Nellas, 5/1)
Reuters: South Africa's Aspen COVID-19 Vaccine Plant Risks Closure After No Orders, Executive Says
Africa's first COVID-19 vaccination plant, touted last year as a trailblazer for an under-vaccinated continent frustrated by sluggish Western handouts, risks shutting down after receiving not a single order, a company executive said on Saturday. South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare negotiated a licensing deal in November to package and sell Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine and distribute it across Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) called the deal a "transformative moment" in the drive towards leveling stark inequalities in access to COVID vaccines. (Cocks, 5/2)
Bloomberg: The EU Wants A Central, Cross-Border Digital Health Space
The European Union wants to make it easier for people to access their prescriptions and health records online no matter where they are in the EU, under new plans to be unveiled next week. The European Commission’s proposal for a European Health Data Space would create a central online system where all EU citizens can access their health data, according to internal draft documents seen by Bloomberg. The proposal could also improve researchers’ and policymakers’ access to data for developing medicines and health policies. (Deutsch, 4/29)
