COVID digest: LA poised to start strict vaccine mandate
October 6, 2021
City leaders in Los Angeles on Wednesday were poised to approve one of the toughest vaccine mandates in the US.
If enacted, the mandate would require people to show proof of full COVID-19 inoculation for entering restaurants, bars, salons, gyms, shopping centers, sports arenas and other indoor city facilities.
People with religious or medical exemptions for jabs would be required to show negative coronavirus tests within 72 hours of entry to the facilities.
The City Council was slated to consider the proposal after a vote was postponed last week amid concerns over specifics of the rules, such as who could be fined for violations.
The sweeping measure has been criticized on grounds that it could lead to segregation of those who cannot or refuse to be jabbed. Some have also deemed the ordinance enforceable.
Europe
The head of Germany's vaccination advisory panel said the country has seen more COVID-19 breakthrough cases among young people who received the "one and done" shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Thomas Mertens, the head of the committee, also said the benefits of a third booster shot of the COVID-19 is clear for the elderly and immunocompromised though the data concerning booster shots for younger people "is more difficult to assess."
In the Netherlands, a Dutch court in The Hague dismissed an effort to ditch the "corona pass" for the vaccinated that permits entry to public places such as bars, museums, restaurants and theaters.
The court in The Hague ruled the demand for proof of vaccination or a recent negative test was not a violation of human rights nor did it inflict prejudice on the vaccine-hesitant.
Sweden and Denmark's public health agencies on Wednesday paused the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people born in 1991 or later, citing concerns over the increased risk of side effects such as inflammation of the heart muscles (myocarditis).
The Swedish public health agency said the connection was "especially clear" after the second dose of Moderna's Spikevax jab, although the risk was very small.
The Danish move to stop giving the vaccine to people under 18 was according to "the precautionary principle," its health authority said. A Finnish decision was expected on Thursday.
Asia
US drugmaker Merck announced on Wednesday that it had signed a deal with Singapore that would allow the city-state to access its experimental oral COVID-19 antiviral drug.
The pill, Molnupiravir, is touted to be the first oral antiviral medication for COVID-19. It is designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus
Merck has also sought approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the drug.
In South Korea, pregnant women will be eligible to sign up for coronavirus vaccinations starting this week as the country looks to step up its vaccine rollout to reach a goal of inoculating 80% of all adults by the end of October.
Pregnant women will be allowed to make reservations for a shot starting Friday, for vaccination set to begin on October 18 using Pfizer or Moderna shots, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Oceania
In Australia, the states of Victoria and New South Wales on Wednesday reported a decline in new COVID-19 cases as authorities look to relax virus measures amid a rise in vaccinations.
Victoria reported a total 1,420 new infections, down from a record 1,763 a day earlier.
There are plans to ease some curbs once 70% of the adult population is fully immunized, expected in late October. More restrictions will be relaxed at 80%.
New South Wales on Wednesday saw its new COVID-19 infections falling below 600 for the first time in over seven weeks.
Sydney is set to end a lockdown after a rapid vaccination drive.
Meanwhile, Australian medical technology firm Ellume recalled some 200,000 at-home COVID-19 tests in the US on Wednesday over an increased possibility of false positives.
The move comes after the US Food and Drug Administration raised an alert on Tuesday over the "potential for false-positive results with certain lots of the Ellume COVID-19 Home Test, due to a recently identified manufacturing issue".
dvv/wmr (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)