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Eastern Europe under severe stress , record COVID cases. With just 4% of the world's population, Eastern Europe accounts for 20% of all new cases. Three of the top 5 countries reporting the most deaths in the world, are from Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine and Romania.
COVID cases in Eastern Europe near 20m as outbreak worsens (msn.com)
Rising cases puts the NHS under " extreme pressure". The UK is heading for a bad winter, according to the Heath Secretary, Sajid Javid.
Covid news - live: Labour calls for plan B measures now as rising cases put NHS under ‘enormous pressure’ (msn.com)
BREAKING NEWS A key F.D.A. advisory panel recommended the use of the Pfizer vaccine in 5- to 11-year-olds, who could start getting shots late next week. Tuesday, October 26, 2021 4:25 PM EST The panel endorsed giving the age group one-third of the dosage given to people 12 and older in two shots, three weeks apart.
The committee’s recommendations on whether to authorize vaccines are not binding, but the F.D.A. typically follows them in the days after the vote.
The story , from the NY Times, here;
F.D.A. Panel Endorses Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine for Children 5 to 11 - The New York Times
Boosters are looking more important, with the new Delta plus variant creating concern in the UK. The AY4.2 variant has been found in the UK, Russia, parts of the EU, USA, India, Japan , Israel, and China. Not much is known about the new variant, and scientists say it may be 15% more contagious than Delta, but so far it doesn't present as more deadly. Hospitalisations have risen in the UK, and deaths have risen by 25% , although it has not been shown to be because of AY4.2, as yet.
Everything we know about the new COVID-19 variant ‘Delta-Plus’ (msn.com)
More on the AY4.2 variant, the WHO is now keeping tabs on it. AY4.2 has been spotted in more than 40 countries, and it is thought that travel restrictions have stopped it spreading further. Denmark's COVID surveillance centre has said that at this point in time, there is nothing to indicate it is more contagious, resistant or pathogenic. The WHO states further testing is under way to assess if AY4.2 is more contagious, or deadly. With more countries opening up, that would be good to know.
World Health Organization now keeping tabs on Delta subvariant 'NU' (msn.com)
Covid has moved to regional NSW. Cases in Hunter New England have overtaken S. Western Sydney.
COVID-19 hotspots emerge in regional NSW, surpassing south-west Sydney weekly average - ABC News
Looking back on COVID -19, how the DELTA wave crashed over Sydney. Caught by surprise, contact tracers unable to get in front of it, DELTA proved it WAS different.
Looking back on COVID-19: how the Delta wave crashed over Sydney (msn.com)
UK sees highest daily death toll since February, Greek cases set new record high. The UK government is concerned hospitalisations & deaths could rise among double vaccinated people due to waning immunity, and 4.5 million eligible people fail to get a booster jab. ;
Coronavirus live: UK sees highest daily death toll since February; Greek cases set new record high (msn.com)
No 10 concerned as 4.5 million eligible people fail to get Covid jab boosters | Coronavirus | The Guardian
EDIT: a roundup of COVID news around the World.As winter approaches in the North, COVID is getting worse.
02 Nov 2021 23:34
Here’s a round-up of this evening’s Covid news.
- The UK has had its highest number of daily Covid deaths reported since late February, as another 293 people have died within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.
- UK government is increasingly worried that hospitalisations and deaths among double-vaccinated people could rise due to waning immunity as an estimated 4.5 million people have failed to get their booster shots despite being eligible.
- China urges citizens to stockpile daily necessities, prompting panic-buying, amid surging vegetable prices linked to recent extreme weather, fears of supply shortages and an ongoing Covid outbreak.
- Romania broke its daily death toll record, after another 591 people died from Covid. It has lagged behind on vaccinations and is well below the average within the EU.
- Greece has announced new restrictions on non-vaccinated people and increased fines for non-compliance.
- Public health officials in Ireland say that its case numbers are at their highest point since January, as another 3,726 were registered – 70% higher than a week ago.
- The Dutch government has reintroduced face masks in an attempt to stop rising Covid-19 cases. Prime minister Mark Rutte said the use of Covid passports would also be broadened out to include museums, gyms and outdoor terraces.
- A scientist has quit the UK government’s pandemic advisery body Sage, saying that the Covid crisis is “a long way from over”. Sir Jeremy Farrar, quit the body at the end of October.
- Children as young as 5 are one step closer to being vaccinated against Covid in the US, after the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unanimously voted in favour of the broad use of Pfizer and BioNTech jabs for them.
- The UK government’s independent vaccine advisers recommended against Covid shots for healthy teenagers despite considering evidence that the jabs would reduce infections, hospitalisations and some deaths in the age group.
Germany, a " massive pandemic of the unvaccinated ";
Covid: Germany enveloped in ‘massive’ pandemic of the unvaccinated (msn.com)
How Australia lost control of the Delta variant.
Outbreak: How Australia lost control of the COVID Delta variant | ABC News - YouTube