Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
UK, US Will Ease Mutual Travel Restrictions As Soon As Possible
The Wall Street Journal: Biden, Johnson Agree To Open U.S.-U.K. Travel As Soon As Possible
President Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will seek to ease Covid-19 travel restrictions as part of a wide-ranging “Atlantic Charter” before this week’s Group of Seven meeting, according to Mr. Johnson’s office. The charter, a riff on the historic joint statement made by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 as their vision for a democratic world post-World War II, will be unveiled Thursday. The meeting will be the first between the two nations' leaders since Mr. Biden’s election. (Colchester and Restuccia, 6/9)
NBC News: New Covid Variant And Rising Cases Spark Fears Over U.K.'s Post-Lockdown Reopening
The rise of the Covid-19 delta variant in the U.K. has sparked fears of a new wave of the virus and could endanger plans for a full reopening of society this month, despite one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns. Recorded cases are nearing levels reached in March this year, with 4,000 to 6,000 cases a day over the last 10 days. The delta variant, first identified in India, is more contagious, spreads more rapidly and is now the dominant strain of the virus in the U.K. (Elbaum, 6/9)
And Canada edges toward reopening its borders —
Bloomberg: U.S.-Canada Border: Trudeau To End Hotel Quarantines For Vaccinated Canadians
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is ending mandatory hotel quarantines for vaccinated Canadian residents arriving by air. Health Minister Patty Hajdu announced that Canadian citizens, permanent residents and essential workers who are fully vaccinated will no longer have to spend three days isolating in a government-approved hotel. Instead, they’ll be permitted to quarantine at home while they wait for the results of a test on arrival. (Bolongaro, 6/9)
Politico: Canadian Border To Stay Closed To Nonessential Foreign Travelers Until At Least Early July
The U.S.-Canada border will stay closed to nonessential American travelers until at least early July, a senior Canadian official tells POLITICO. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government's first priority is on loosening border measures for fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents returning from abroad, said the insider who spoke on condition of anonymity. (Blatchford, 6/9)
In other global developments —
AP: Haiti Fights Large COVID-19 Spike As It Awaits Vaccines
Ever since the pandemic began, Haiti had perplexed experts with seemingly low infection and death rates from COVID-19 despite its rickety public health system, a total lack of vaccines and a widespread disdain for safety measures like masks and distancing. That is no longer the case. The few Haitian hospitals treating COVID cases have been so swamped in recent days that they report turning away patients, while plans to open another hospital to treat the infected have been delayed. (Sanon and Coto, 6/9)
Bloomberg: South Africa’s Virus Cases Surge The Most Since January
The number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa surged by 8,881 on June 9, the biggest jump in infections in about five months. The nation also reported a positivity rate of 16.5% on tests conducted, according to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. Africa’s most-industrialized economy had reported 12,271 cases on Jan. 24, according to the World Health Organization. “The increased number of tests and cases, and increased positivity are all evidence of the predicted third surge in Covid-19 cases,” the Institute said in a statement on Wednesday. The commercial hub of Gauteng accounted for 58% of the new cases. (Sguazzin, 6/9)
The New York Times: China Returns To Its Strict Covid Restrictions To Fight A New Outbreak
Neighborhoods under strict lockdown. Thousands quarantined. Millions tested in mere days. Overseas arrivals locked up for weeks and sometimes months. China has followed variations of that formula for dealing with the coronavirus for more than a year — and a new outbreak suggests that they could be part of Chinese life for some time to come. (Bradsher, 6/9)
CNBC: India Covid Crisis: More Than 6,000 Deaths Recorded In 24 Hours
India’s daily reported death toll from the coronavirus crisis reached a record high on Thursday, with more than 6,000 people succumbing to the disease. That surpassed a record number of daily fatalities reported by the United States this year. India’s health ministry data showed 6,148 Covid-related deaths were recorded over a 24-hour period, as daily reported cases remained below 100,000 for the third consecutive day. (Choudhury, 6/10)
